They Come in Different Kinds
by lhoorah
Summary: “He’s not my brother, is he? Not for real.” “No,” Theresa answered softly, “Not for real.” Jalex.
1. Chapter 1

A/N 1: I'm in love with the chemistry between Selena and David on the show. I'm not so in love with the whole blood-siblings thing (no offense to fans of the ship). So, I 'm doing the whole cliché, we're-not-related-thing to reconcile these things. Hope you enjoy.

A/N 2: Sorry, for those who are still waiting for Where the Heart Is. I'm definitely going to continue, but, this was a plot bunny that would not stop tormenting me. Plus, honestly the next chapter of WTHI is a tough one, so I guess you could call it 'fic procrastination' as well. Don't hate me ::covers head::

***

**Part One**

***

It started on a Monday, like all shitty things do.

Justin was tutoring her in science, because she was failing, and it was something she really wanted to improve in. (Also, Theresa had threatened-both in English and Spanish--that she'd be grounded forever if she didn't pass her test).

They were in his bedroom--the fortress of all things dorky and uninteresting--him standing by this stupid rolling dry erase board, and her laying listlessly across from him on his bed, trying to learn how to fall into deep, deep sleep with her eyes open.

She was just about to give up, and settle for deep, deep sleep with her eyes closed, when he hissed, "_Alex. _Are you even listening to me?"

"Umph, uh, yeah, totally," she chirped, head jerking up, "Science…_rocks_."

Alex lifted her thumb, pointer, and pinky fingers in a 'rock' gesture, and he rolled his eyes.

"I don't even know why I waste my time with you."

He huffed and tossed his marker to the floor--one of his 'man-fits' as she often referred to them--and she sighed. Sure, she loved annoying the hell out of him, but he _was _being kind of sweet and helpful by teaching her and all. Justin was far from Mr. Popular, but even he could think of better ways to be spending his night. She wrestled between the usual thrill of aggravating him, and that other prickly, irritating need to see him not upset, before sitting up on his mattress.

"I'm sorry," she said softly.

He turned to her, from where his back had been stubbornly facing her, and she pursed her lips, pouting gently for him, in that way that he'd never admit could always thaw him out.

He glared at her.

Crossed his arms.

Grunted.

Then his eyes flickered softly between agitation and giving-in, and he sighed.

"Fine, whatever," he mumbled all cool like. "I'll keep helping you. But, only for mom. And, the integrity of science. Not you."

She nodded earnestly, biting back a smile. "The integrity of science needs you."

Justin stared at her for a long moment, eyes narrowed like he was robo-scanning her for any insincerity, before he nodded slightly. "Right. Of course."

"Of course," she said again.

He sent her one last glance, and she decided to actually open up her biology book (you know, just for show), as he reached for his marker. She noted with a smirk that his shoulders were a bit straighter, his chest puffed out slightly as he began again.

He could be so easy, it almost hurt sometimes. But, mostly, it was just fun.

"Right, okay, so where was I?" Justin mumbled.

"Something about genetics and families, blah blah."

He chuckled slightly. "You're just like a sponge," he said with his hands.

"Hey, I am _not _spongy." She pointed her unused pen at him like a threat, "I've been weight-lifting."

"That's _so_ not what I meant, but never mind." Justin shook his head slightly and pointed back to the board. "Okay, so genetics."

"Right, got it," Alex blurted, scribbling onto her blank notebook page.

Justin sent her a tired, but patient look and waited for her to finish.

"Alright, so now that we have the _subject_ down," he said, earning an eye roll from her, "Let's move on to something that will actually help you pass your test."

He turned to the board and Alex watched as he drew two intersecting lines, one vertical, one horizontal. Her eyes lit. "Oooh, are we going to play tic-tac-toe?"

He snorted. "Uh, no Alex. We need another line for that, and last time I checked, Mr. Bower didn't give extra credit for drawing kid games in the margins."

"Or doodles," she offered sagely.

"Exactly," he said, lips quirked. "Okay, so this is a-"

"Oh, oh, wait," Alex blurted, bouncing slightly, "I remember this one. It's a-a Puny Square or whatever. And, you can put in all those letters and stuff and add 'em up."

"Close," he answered, although he was wincing slightly. "It's a _Punnett_ square…"

"Right, that's what I said-"

"And, you can't add letters--not without wizard math anyway."

She scrunched her nose at him. Who in the world would want to do that? Oh, right, Justin.

"…it's really more about the genotypes, and how the alleles interact with each other. So, here, in this example…" He scribbled letters on the board, and Alex scribbled on her own pad of paper, trying to keep up. "…the alleles are different, so the offspring will be heterozygous. And this… will be the dominant trait."

Her eyes glazed over--even though she was trying really, really hard to stay with him (well, at least moderately hard anyway). Justin seemed to notice this and frowned as he turned back to her.

"This is a little over your head, isn't it?"

She chewed her bottom lip. "I'm not even sure if you were speaking English."

"Ah, okayyy." He tapped his finger on his chin for a moment, and she could see the dorky wheels turning in his head. "Okay, how about this? Let's start simple."

She nodded. "I like simple."

He pointed to himself. "I'm your brother."

"Really?" she asked with spiked brows, "Because I thought you were just some strange, geeky boy who lived with us. You know, like a foreign exchange program for nerdy, under socialized children…?"

His brows furrowed, which was always cute and she loved making him do. "Hilarious," he deadpanned. "But, anyway, as I was saying… we're siblings. So biology teaches us that there are certain traits that we should have in common."

She snorted. "Like what?"

"Well, definitely not intellect, or sophistication, or responsibility--"

"Or, charm, good looks, creativity, popularity. Or even basic social sens-"

"_Okay_, so we get the point," he said over her with a scowl.

She smiled prettily at him, eyelashes batting as he rolled his eyes.

"The point is, as indescribably bizarre as it may seem, we share many genetic traits." He pointed to the board. "And, this is basically just another way of describing that, and explaining how it happened."

"Hmm." She pursed her lips. "That actually seems…_almost_ interesting."

"Exactly." He smiled again, this time big and genuine. She couldn't stop her own lips from tilting in response. "See, science isn't so boring and lame once you understand it a little better."

"Okay, answer man. So, tell me, what in the _world_ do we have in common? I mean seriously, we look so different, half the time people think we're dating, or something."

She twisted her nose like that was the most disgusting thing ever--which it really was, on so many levels--and Justin sent her a similarly distasteful look.

"Yeah, I know," he said a little quietly. "I guess we do look a little…different."

"Uh, ya duh. And, you're so much smarter and more disciplined than me or Max--not that I'll _ever_ admit that aloud again," she inserted off his surprised look, "S'just weird."

"A little. But, we shouldn't base things off appearances. We should base them on science. Because, science-"

"…never fails," Alex mumbled tiredly.

"Good to see you're catching on." His eyes widened suddenly, lighting up. "Hey, you know what would be fun?"

"Ditching this and watching America's Next Top Model?"

"Alright, so fun for _me_," Justin said. "I bet there's some sort of spell we could do, to make this more interesting. A way we could actually see all our genes and everything."

"You're right," she mumbled.

"It sounds cool?"

"No, I meant that it would only be fun for you." She sat up, her foot flirting with the carpet, "So, I'm just gonna flip on Tyra-"

"_Alex_."

"Ugh, fine."

"Okay, just give me a moment, while I search P.U.S.D."

Alex grimaced, rolled on her back, and whined. She hated when he used that stupid thing. She hated when he even said it. P.U.S.D. (Potentially Useful Spells Database), was some lame-tastic project Justin had pushed their Dad into last year. He'd collected all the obscure, and of course, 'potentially useful', spells and put them into some computer program.

"Got it," Justin cried.

She lifted her pointer finger and spun it. "Yippee."

"Okay, stand up."

"Do I have to?" she whined, "I'm comfortable."

"That depends," Justin said casually, "How do you feel about summer school?"

She pulled a face at him, but acquiesced, sliding slowly off his bed.

"Alright, here we go." Justin slipped the index card off of his desk and read, "'_Families share and families care, show us how we're similar on the board up there._"

There was a rush of wind (which sucked, because she'd just done her hair), and the board lit up with all those weird charts and DNA models she'd ignored in biology class.

Alex groaned, "Ugh, this is so boring it's yucky."

"Just wait for it," Justin said.

"Wait, for what? Death by a thousand models?" She lifted her hands, checking her fingernails, (When was the last time she'd gotten a manicure?), only to catch Justin glaring over the tips of her fingers.

"_No_," he said priggishly, "It can take a while, but it's going to connect our traits, show us how we're-"

"_FAMILIES CARE AND FAMILIES SHARE, BUT THESE TWO PEOPLE ARE NOT A PAIR."_

Justin squinted at the singing board, "What?"

"_YOU'RE NOT RELATED, IDIOT!"_ the board cried, before dimming and returning to normal.

Alex folded her arms and sent him a smug look, "I thought science never failed?"

She smirked, (because, honestly, nothing floated her boat more than seeing Justin wrong about something). But he wasn't smiling. Or even glaring, or bumbling, or ranting at her. He was just…still. Almost pale.

"Dude, chill," she said again, this time more quietly, "It's just one bum spell. I'm sure you can keep using P.U.S.D."

He didn't answer for a long moment, and she felt something tighten in her stomach. This was off, even for Justin. "Justin," she tried again.

"It's not wrong, Alex," he snapped over her. His voice was sharp, tight all of a sudden, and when he finally looked at her, his eyes were hard.

Her mouth parted. "But…but, it said."

"It's not wrong."

He brushed past her, their shoulder shoving slightly, before marching out the door.

***

Justin left the apartment and didn't come back.

Which was strange, and probably should have concerned her, but she'd never understood science or the things that could set off his tantrums, so she ignored it. (Plus, there was a Top Model marathon on, and it was easier to tear apart pretty girls' outfits than even dare acknowledge that sinking, uncertain feeling Justin's lesson had left in her stomach).

When the door finally opened mid-model breakdown, Alex called carelessly over her shoulder, "Finally beamed back from Planet Loser?"

"_Alex._"

It was her mother. And the desperate, raspy catch in her voice instantly made her head jerk up.

"Mom?" she answered softly. She stood from the couch, the remote dropping to the floor.

"I think it's better if you sit down for this, Alex."

Theresa walked towards her, her footsteps heavy thuds on the floor planes, and Alex had the inexplicable urge to charm herself out of the living room.

Instead she blurted, "Where's Justin?"

For some reason, she desperately needed to know.

"He's downstairs in the restaurant," Theresa said thickly, "Talking with your father."

Her voice shook. "Wh-what are they talking about?"

"_Alex_," Theresa said again, more firmly, "Please, sit down."

She was about a second from sprinting, literally just making a run for it, charm or no charm--but her mother's pleading gaze held her their. She exhaled, and slowly took a seat besides her on the couch.

Theresa sighed, brushing hair from her face, unveiling even more of her wet, red eyes, and her tired, worn face. And, before she could even begin, Alex just knew it, knew it somewhere deep in her chest, in a place she'd always ignored. "He's not my brother, is he? Not for real."

"No," Theresa answered softly, "Not for real."

***

It happened in the middle of the night, as all crazy things do….

Once upon a time, a loud colicky baby girl was wailing in her mother's arms.

A streak of light thundered, like lightening trapped in a house, and when it cleared, there was a little toddler, a little dark haired boy sitting in the bedroom.

"He's not a stray dog," Jerry had said, even as he'd held the silent boy up against his hip, "We can't just keep him."

"But, he has no home, Jerry. Every boy should have a home. Maybe…maybe he was sent to us for a reason."

And they lived happily ever after.

The End.

***

"So, let me get this straight. A stork, like a literal stork delivered Justin to our house?" Max asked Alex, eyes popping.

"Yeah, uh, something like that," she mumbled hollowly.

"That is so…_cool_."

"It is not 'cool'," Alex hissed. "It's horrible. Justin's not our brother."

There was a loud silence as her dark eyes collided with his, and Alex watched the grin slowly fade from Max's face, watched it finally start to settle in for him.

"Oh," was all he could say.

She sighed and tucked her knees under herself from where she was sitting on her bed, Max perched silently on the edge. His face was twitching slightly, almost like he might cry, and she felt this sudden ache for Justin to be there, to say something Justin-like and make everything okay.

But, Justin was gone. He'd never come back after his talk with Jerry.

"It's okay," she finally whispered, and it felt like the lamest, most useless thing she could ever could say, "It's…okay."

"How is it okay?" he rasped, his voice catching slightly.

She reached over, slipped her arm over his shoulder, and hugged him as tight as she could. She felt wetness on her neck, and she sighed, rubbing his back, "It's okay."

***

It wasn't okay.

Obviously. She was failing science--and possibly math--but even she could see that.

It was dark and Justin still wasn't home. No one brought it up aloud--(except Max, repeatedly, but he didn't count). Yet, Alex kept catching Jerry sending sad, wary glances out the rain-slicked windows.

"He's still family," was all Jerry had said to her when he'd come back, sans Justin, "He just…doesn't understand yet."

Obviously, Alex thought. Because, honestly, she didn't really understand it either.

***

She woke up with a start.

It was one of those dreams where she was falling again, and when she jerked up on her bed her breath caught, because there was Justin. Standing there, soaking wet, and watching her.

"_Justin_," was her first thought. And, then, "Creepy, much?"

"S-sorry," he stuttered.

She reached over for her lamp, and the light flickered on.

"I-I wasn't staring," he blurted. "I just was here, and-and you were screaming."

She squinted at him, because even in situations as serious and life-shaking as this, he was still an utter dork. She slipped from the under covers, ignoring the rest of his rambling, and hurrying across the carpet to him.

"…it's awkward, but-_oomph_,"

She cut him off with a fierce hug, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck like a padlock, and her face buried in damp lapel of his coat. "_Oh, my god, are you okay?"_ she breathed.

"I-I, uh, yes," he rasped.

He stood for a long moment, stiff and still, before finally letting a lone arm slide around her back. She sighed into his neck. "I'm so sorry, Justin."

"It's not your fault," she heard him murmur, "It's nobody fault."

She felt his cold hands on her shoulders, soaking through her night shirt, and she shivered slightly as he pulled back.

"I just…heh," He let out a mirthless laugh, "I just…"

"It's okay, Justin," she whispered over him, this time more certainly, "You don't always have to have something to say, something logical to explain everything."

"No, see, that's exactly the problem, Alex; because, I do. I _need_ it. It's the only thing that keeps me sane, to be able explain things."

"Justin-"

"And, now everything is…_ugh_," He sighed and ran both hands through his hair, "…it doesn't make any sense."

He moved away from her, towards her door and she felt a tug her in chest and followed him. "Why does it have to make sense?" she asked hurriedly, "Who _cares_ if doesn't make sense? You're still my brother, Justin. You're still family. Even if 'Lord Science', says otherwise."

He turned back to her then, almost a jerk, and she was surprised to see his face flash with anger. "Science isn't a 'gossip magazine', or 'Tyra Banks', okay? It's not an opinion, or a suggestion, it's just right. It's just fact …it's just flesh and blood, and we…" He stopped, his eyes flickering darkly for a moment. "You just don't understand. You never understand."

That stung more than it should.

"That's not fair," she whispered. "Maybe _you're _the one who doesn't understand."

He rolled his eyes, and she felt like hitting him. She hated when he did that. She hated when he just brushed her off like she was some silly, clueless little girl. Especially when it came to something so _huge_, like this.

"Nothing's changed, Justin. Nothing has to change if you just let it go."

"Right," he said darkly, "I'll just…" He waved his hands around sarcastically, "Let it go, and completely ignore the fact that my whole life has been a lie. Just a small, tiny, itty bitty fact. God, you can just be so…_stupid_ sometimes."

She flinched, because Justin never spoke to her like that, no matter how much she messed up, or how angry he got, she was still always his 'Alex'.

Her lip shook slightly, but she swallowed down the lump, and watched him as he stared hotly back at her. When she didn't strike back, didn't say whatever he was expecting from her, he grunted and turned for her door.

She huffed.

"So, what," she called after him, " You're just gonna disappear into the shadows again, like some lame Batman? I know we're just you're 'fake family' and all, but we still care where the hell you are at night."

She grabbed his arm and pulled a little meanly. "Justin-"

"I'm _not_ leaving. I'm just going to my bedroom, if that's okay with you?" he said sarcastically.

She didn't let go right away, like she didn't believe him--which maybe she didn't--so he tugged his own arm away.

"Goodnight," he said stiffly and slammed the door shut.

***

"_Alex! Alex!"_

"Ughhh, _what?_" she moaned into her pillow.

Wasn't it bad enough the word was ending? Couldn't she at least get some damn sleep?

"Justin's moving out," Max cried, "Like right now."

"_What?_"

She burst out of her bed, pillows and sleep forgotten, and was sprinting through the hallways before Max could even finish his spazzing. She reached Justin's door, panting, to find Theresa and Jerry already standing there, speaking with him.

"…see how things go," Jerry was saying.

"You're moving out?!" Alex cried, cutting Jerry off.

Justin blinked, back straightening as he turned from his suitcase. "What? No. Of course not."

"So, what?" She asked, still a bit breathless, "The suitcases are just for decoration?"

He sighed, frustration flickering in his eyes, and Theresa stepped in for him. "Honey, Justin's going away for a little while. To help process things."

She scowled. "Why can't he 'process' things here?"

"Alex, you're being a brat, stop it," Justin said.

"No, you '_stop it'_," she hissed back at him, (which yeah, maybe was tad bit childish).

"Alex-"

"Maybe you should wait outside for a moment," Jerry said over him. "Until we sort everything out?"

"Right," she said dryly, "Don't mind me. I'm just some random chick who's not affected by this at all. Please," she said with a grand hand gesture, "Carry on."

"No, stay; I insist," Justin said tightly, "I mean, why shouldn't you stay when you've already provided such helpful and productive insight."

Her jaw flexed and then she took several sharp steps towards him. "Don't take this out on me, Justin. Don't beat up on me, because your life sucks all of sudden."

"_Alex_," Theresa hissed.

But, Alex ignored her, her gaze and her attention solely on him. "And, if you're gonna keep being an ass like this, then maybe it would be better for you to just _not be here _anymore."

Theresa gasped, Justin's eyes widened, and then Alex took her own turn slamming the door shut as she stormed out.

**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for all your feedback ;)**** It's a writer's fuel. **

**I had to finish up this huge project due this weekend which is why I have been MIA from . I'm sending out this part because it was the closest to completion. But, I *promise* the next update for WTHI will becoming out later this week. Sorry, to all my readers who have been waiting, but the summer's been a crazy time for me.**

**Hope you enjoy this part. It's a lot of transition, but more solid Jalex will be coming in the next parts. **

***

**Part 2**

***

It was only after a few minutes of angry, lonely silence on the balcony that Alex realized her 'big-girl' exit, had really been more of a hissy-fit. And, when even later, Justin still hadn't followed her out there--_which had sort of been her whole point, duh_--she felt her cheeks burn with frustration.

She rolled her eyes at the sky, and was turning back when the glass doors slid open behind her.

_Finally_, she thought, annoyed.

But, Justin looked equally agitated as he stepped towards her. "Could you be any more of a baby?"

"Ugh." She scrunched her nose at him. "Just go away."

"I am, remember? That's sort of what I thought we were fighting about here…?"

"No," she said, turning from him, "We're fighting about you being a jerk."

"No, we're fighting about you being a brat."

_Great_, she thought dryly, _Now we're even arguing about what we're arguing about. Could we be anymore opposite?_

She felt another pinch in her gut, a wistfulness, as she realized once again that maybe this whole not-related thing shouldn't have been that big of a shock.

She kept staring out into the street, an empty, lost gaze, until she felt Justin shift slowly beside her.

"I'll only be gone for a few days; a week tops. I promise."

"Pfft. Like I care."

She wondered if it was as obvious to him that she really, really did.

"Let's not do this, Alex; we're not twelve."

_This from the guy who still wears cartoon jammies, _she thought.

But, she knew what he meant. She and Justin were always going at each other; always teasing and bickering and whining. But, when it really counted, when they really needed each other, they always cut through that.

She sighed, turning to him. "I just don't understand why you have to push us away," _Push *me* away_, "all of a sudden, just because…"

She wasn't sure how to finish that, so he finished it for her. "Because I'm not your brother."

"Don't say that," she hissed.

"And, what? It will just go away?"

Her head jerked away from him instinctively, and, instinctively, his hand reached across her, brushed her chin, and tipped it back.

"Hey," he said more softly, "You were right last night. And wrong, too."

She squinted. She swore she didn't understand half the things that came out of his mouth.

"Things have to change, Alex, whether we want them to, or not. But…_we_ don't have to. We're still us. It's just that 'us' isn't exactly what we thought it was." He frowned. "That probably didn't make any sense."

She scrunched her brows. "Oddly, no, it did. Kind of."

"Right."

Their eyes slid together, at that intersection of complete understanding and misunderstanding they called home.

"Take care of Max while I'm gone," Justin whispered. "He doesn't get things right away and he'll need you."

"Pfft."

"I'm serious."

Her eyes sobered, and she nodded, watching his shoulder relax slightly.

She glanced down. Their hands were gripping the rail beside each other, almost brushing. So she reached over before she could think herself out of it, and took his hand in hers. "And, who's going to look after you?" she asked quietly.

His eyes widened with surprise. But, then he slid his fingers between hers, squeezing back. "Don't worry about me. I'm old enough now that I can look after myself. And, so can you." He paused for a moment, eyes deepening seriously. "But, I'll be back for you anyway."

He squeezed her hand again, and Alex almost had to look away it was so intense. Granted, 'intense' was nothing new for Justin. But, something about the way he'd said it--the depth of his eyes, the warmth of his palm--didn't seem like how it would have been before…before whatever this was.

She felt this weird tug in her stomach that she needed to ignore, and instantly slipped her hand away. Justin frowned, and she spoke quickly, "Just be safe, okay? I mean, I know you're a 'grownup' now, or whatever, but you still scream when you see ponies, so don't push it."

"I don't scream, I just…"

"Shriek?" she finished for him.

Her lips curved, teasing, and for a moment everything felt normal. Safe.

"I should get going," he said.

"What? You gotta catch a train, or something?" she asked sarcastically.

"Uh, actually, yeah. Wiz-Tran. It's cheaper than a plane."

"Right," she said blankly.

"Don't give mo…"He paused, frowning. "Don't give them a hard time while I'm gone, okay?"

"Okay," she answered quietly. (Which they both knew was probably a lie.)

There was another soft silence between them, Alex staring back out at the streets, searching for something she couldn't quite name, and Justin staring, for whatever reason, at her.

"Where will you be?" Alex finally whispered, sliding her pointer finger aimlessly along the ledge.

Justin blew out a breath. "I've always thought the mountains might be nice."

She rolled her eyes. "And, what? You'll look out on some cliché mountain top and discover the meaning of life?"

His lips quirked. "I hope so."

He straightened then, from where he'd been leaning over with her, and stood. He sent her a sheepish look. "I know we don't hug often, but--_oomph_."

She cut him off with another hug, her arms wrapping tightly around his waist and squeezing. He didn't hesitate this time, but slid his hands up her back, holding her protectively to him. He surprised her with a peck atop her head, and there was that weird, annoying feeling again in her chest. But, it wasn't unpleasant, just new. So, this time, she didn't pull away, but simply sighed and pressed her cheek to his chest.

***

Twenty minutes later, Justin was gone.

She didn't think he'd ever come back.

Not the 'he' that he'd been before, anyway.

Or at least, not the 'them' that they'd been before, anyway.

***

That night she pretended to help her mother with dinner in the kitchen. (Theresa had been neurotic about keeping her and / or Max near her since Justin left. Like they might up and make a run for it, too).

Theresa was chopping green peppers, and Alex was absently popping a few into her mouth, when her mother said abruptly, "Maybe we should have told him sooner."

Alex's eyes widened, the pepper hanging, frozen in her hand.

"Maybe it was wrong for us to keep this from him, something so big. But, I just wanted him to feel like family, like he wasn't any different, or any less loved than anyone else." Theresa turned to her, her eyes finding hers imploringly. "You have to understand that, Alex."

Alex blinked. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because he listens to you."

Alex snorted.

"He _does_," Theresa said more firmly. Her eyes softened, almost wistfully. "You two have always had a connection. Even when you were a baby, he'd do anything to take care of you. And," She laughed gently, "You would follow him around like he was your blanky, or something--"

"Alright, alright, mom," Alex said, rolling her eyes, "We've all heard this story. Over, and over, and over again."

"It's very sweet," Theresa said over, with a look so utterly _Mom_ it was almost funny, "And, sometimes, I think maybe that's why he was sent to us."

Alex's brows quirked at that and she straightened from where she'd been leaning on the counter. "Do you have any idea who sent him?"

"No," Theresa answered with a sigh. "Jerry and I searched for years through all the networks, but nothing came up." She lowered her voice, almost to a hush. "We didn't tell Justin this, and neither should you, but…sometimes wizards perform these sorts of spells when a child's unwanted."

Her cheeks heated instantly. "How can anyone not want Justin? Just send him away like that?"

"I don't understand it either, mija."

Theresa smoothed her hand against her back, but Alex still felt tense, agitated at people she didn't even know. She glowered and bit into another chunk of pepper.

"Alex," she heard her mother ask softly, pulling her gaze from the wall she was glaring at.

"Yeah, mom?"

"Justin didn't leave a number, or any way of contacting him at all, did he?"

Alex frowned. Justin had been protective of his privacy. And, maybe because he was nearly eighteen now, or because her parents had been too anxious to push him away any further, they hadn't pressed the issue.

She shook her head. "No," she said honestly, "He didn't say anything."

"Alex-"

"For real; I promise."

Theresa sighed, but nodded slightly. "Alright…let's not dwell on this, okay, sweetie? Let's make dessert."

***

The next day, she found it.

She'd been searching frantically for her anklet, when she'd accidentally knocked her biology textbook from her desk. (She hadn't opened it since his last lesson. Failing, or not, she hated the subject, and she hated the memories associated with it now, even more). Out of the pages drifted a small, yellow slip of notebook paper.

_First of all, I'm proud of you for studying. (_She rolled her eyes). _Text 'N-I-T-S-U-J'_ _on your cell if you get in trouble. _

"Your name backwards, Justin?" she said under her breath, "You are the definition of 'unoriginal',"

She rolled her eyes again, but she was smiling as she slid the note into her drawer.

(If her mom didn't ask her about it again, that wasn't lying. Not technically).

***

"So, is Justin back from his Aunt Mildred's yet?" Harper chirped.

Alex sighed.

Harper was almost like family to them now, but she didn't feel it was her place to drop this news on her. Even more, she didn't know if Justin would want other people knowing about it, period.

"Uh, no, not yet, Harp."

"Oh, that's too bad,," Harper whined, "I made him this bracelet and everything." She lifted the beaded gift up to Alex with a grin. "It has our faces and hearts on it. But-but, just as friends, of course."

"Of course. It's good to know you're getting over that whole crush thing," Alex said dryly. After a moment, her lips curved slowly, "And, I'm sure Justin will just _love_ it. You should make some more. And, maybe a necklace and a t-shirt, too."

Harper beamed. "What an amazing idea, Alex. I can't believe I didn't think of that." Alex bit back a giggle as Harper reached into her purse, pulling out a to-do list. "I can't imagine how bummed he must be, though. What, with his favorite aunt getting ill like that."

"Yeah, well." Alex shrugged, glancing away, "That Aunt Mildred, she's a tough one. Real…" She thrust her fist in the air aimlessly, "…tough."

Harper nodded earnestly, like she actually knew this fictional aunt or something, and Alex's gaze strayed across the hallway. "Uh, excuse me for a moment," she said absently to Harper, slipping away.

"Max?" she asked, coming up behind him at his locker.

"Yeah?"

She squinted, looking him over. "Why aren't you wearing shoes?"

Max huffed and threw his hands up. "I got distracted again. Usually Justin's there to remind me why what I'm wearing's inappropriate."

"Right," she said, frowning.

She didn't know what was sadder. The fact that Justin wasn't there, or that Max apparently wasn't 'old enough' to dress himself properly.

She grasped his arm. "Let's go somewhere private, so we can charm some shoes on you."

But, he shook his head. "Nah, I'll pass. It's oddly…freeing. Like my toes can breathe."

"Yeah, and I'll bet you'll feel even more 'free' when you have to amputate your feet because you've caught some raging infection."

She grasped his arm again, and he didn't stop her, but glowered as the slipped into a corner. "Why are you so uptight all of a sudden? When I didn't wear pants that one time, you laughed for like five minutes."

She sighed. "I have two parts to play now, so I'll laugh later," she said tiredly. She mumbled a spell, and moments later a pair sneakers appeared on his feet.

Pink, Hannah Montana sneakers to be exact.

Max paled. "Alex!"

She smiled, and this time, actually did laugh a little. "Is that 'fun' enough for you?"

"I _cannot_ be seen in these."

"Right," she said, folding her arms, "And, walking around barefoot like a hillbilly was doing _wonders_ for your reputation."

"But-"

"Keep the shoes on, or I'm giving you a massive, magic wedgie." She winked at him. "Got it?"

"Got it," he grumbled.

_Okay_, she thought wryly, _That wasn't exactly 'looking out for him,' but it was close enough._

Justin would be proud, she was sure.

Or at least only moderately horrified.

She'd settle for either.

***

On the fourth night, she entered his room.

It wasn't a new thing, (she couldn't count how many times she'd snuck in there to prank him, or tease him when he was out). But, this felt different somehow.

She closed the bedroom door slowly behind her, hugged her arms to her chest, and looked around.

Everything was impeccably neat and organized, almost neurotically so (which was, again, typically 'Justin').

His dresser was filled with those lame figurines he pretended he didn't play with anymore, and his walls covered with posters of space movies, and nauseating, inspirational quotes. She felt a pinch of longing for him.

Her feet took her to his mattress and she settled slowly on it, her fingertips pushing at the soft fabric.

"I miss you," she mumbled to him, like he could hear her on those stupid mountaintops.

It was a weird, sudden realization. Because it was pretty much her profession to annoy him, and make fun of him, and invent new ways of crawling under his skin. (He was no slouch in returning the favor). But, underneath all the whining and complaining--maybe even at the core of it--was a bond. A bond with someone she literally couldn't stand being with, and needed around at the same time. Someone she depended on, and _god_, it was all so freaking cliché.

She rolled her eyes at herself and turned on the mattress, reaching for a picture frame off his dresser. It was a photo of him, and her, and Max from a few years back. (She'd always hated it--her hair looked puffy--so of course, Justin had chosen to frame it). She smiled softly, and looked at him. Looked at him together with her, searched for some clue, some hint, some…_something_ to tell her that he wasn't her brother.

Her thumb brushed over his face atop the glass.

No, it was just him. Justin. Same as always.

The same boy who drove her up the walls with his nerdiness, and his stubbornness, and his utter inability to break the rules.

The same boy who could suck the fun out of a moment without blinking.

The same boy who'd always protected her, looked after her, and forgave her again and again, no matter how carelessly she treated him.

The same boy that sometimes, made her chest warm with his smile, or her cheeks flush with a compliment, and all those other things she'd tried to ignore, push away from her mind. Things that made her think, just for a flash of a moment, what a sister shouldn't think.

Something shifted in her chest, and underneath the heaviness of sadness, was another feeling: Relief.

***

This time she was running.

Something was chasing her, something like a wolf and then-

"_Justin?_" she gasped, her eyes wide and startled, as she shot up in the bed.

He started, from where he'd been staring out the window, and then turned to her. "Alex," he whispered, walking towards her.

She was confused, but she felt her lips lift instinctually. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm back," he said blankly. He his head jerked towards her, "What are you doing here?"

She squinted, glanced down at the skirt she was still wearing, and only then realized she was in _his_ bedroom, not hers. She must have fallen asleep. "Oh, I, uh." She rubbed her hand against her eyes. "I don't know."

The bed dipped slightly as he sat next to her on the edge, and she could see his brows lifting bemusedly. "Probably setting a 'welcome home' prank, right?"

She rolled her eyes. "No, not this time."

"Hmph." He pursed his lips. "I'm not sure whether to be grateful or insulted…?" He smirked slightly, softly, and then asked her, "How are you?"

"How am I?" Alex asked, eyes popping, "How are _you_?" She bumped his arm with her fist as if to drive home the point. "You're the one who just had their life flipped upside down."

He shrugged, and she could she his face dropped slightly, "Eh, I dunno." He shrugged again, and lowered his head, "I mean, at first I was angry, and really confused, and upset and now…" He sighed. "I dunno what I am. But, it didn't help to be away from home anymore, so I just came back."

"That's good…that you're back," she added, off his confused look.

"Yeah, I guess," he mumbled.

He sighed, a long, drawn out breath, and Alex could see the worry lines creasing his face again. She reached up without thinking, and smoothed the back of her hand against his cheek.

"What…" Justin blinked, "What was that for?"

"I dunno." She shrugged, slipping her hand away.

"No," he blurted, "You don't have to stop. I mean, never mind."

He cleared this throat, shifting uncomfortably on the mattress, and Alex ducked her head. "I should probably get to bed," she mumbled.

"Right."

"I'm glad you're back."

She slipped her arms around his neck in a quick hug, (she dimly registered that she'd hugged him more times in the past week than probably ever before), and then moved to pull back. But, his arm locked firmly behind her.

"Justin?" she breathed.

He didn't answer for a moment, and Alex was just about to speak again, when she saw his face scrunch up, like Max's, but somehow, even more heartbreaking.

"Justin," she said again, softer.

She stroked the back of his neck, and then tugged gently, pulling him towards her until his forehead brushed her shoulder.

"It's okay," she said gently, steadily, "It's okay."

***

He fell asleep with his head in her lap, her hands smoothing through his hair. And, she was reminded of when she was a little girl, and she'd sneak into his room at night, afraid, and he'd hold her until she went to sleep.

***

"When did he get back?" Theresa asked her in the morning.

Justin was still slumbering in his bed, Alex and her mother sitting quietly at the kitchen table.

Alex sighed and sipped her coffee. "I'm not sure. Sometime late, though."

"And, did he seem…okay?"

"I don't know, mom, why don't you ask _him_," Alex snapped. Her mother winched, and Alex exhaled, backtracking, "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be snippy, but he's needs you and Dad to be….you and Dad. Even if he pushes you back. He like, loves authority, or whatever."

Theresa nodded slightly, frowning. "We just don't know how to approach him right now. I've never seen him so angry before."

"I think he's cooled off a little," Alex said. "He just seems more confused than anything else."

"My poor baby," Theresa whispered.

"Alex, where-"

Justin trailed off, from where his groggy form had been stumbling down the steps. His eyes widened slightly when he saw Theresa sitting there with her at the table.

"Hi," he said quietly.

"Oh, _baby_," Theresa cried.

Alex watched as her mother rose from the table, rushing out of the kitchen and the across the living room to bring Justin into his arms. Justin looked startled, but mostly pleased over her shoulder. "I'm so, so, so happy you're back."

"Oooh, me too, mom," he breathed under her grasp.

Theresa gasped, (Alex was guessing from the use of 'mom'), and, if it were possible, squeezed him even tighter.

Alex quirked a questioning brow at Justin, but he just shrugged slightly before hugging Theresa back.

***

"So, you're like…our brother in law now?" Max asked, squinting.

They were all piled up on Justin's bed, Max laying on the end as he questioned them.

"Um, not quite, Max," Justin answered, glancing bemusedly to Alex.

"He's still our brother," Alex said, "Just…not in the same, technical sense. But, it still counts," she said firmly, looking back at Justin.

"And, you still need to listen to what I say. And, respect my authority as a-"

"Yeah, yeah, blah blah," Alex said over him.

Justin scowled as she giggled at him, Max laughing along. "Well, it's good to see some things never change," Justin mumbled.

"_Never_," she assured him, patting his shoulder.

***

"Okay," Alex said, bursting into his room without knocking, "We need to talk."

Justin squeaked, and then so did she as she realized she'd caught him shirtless by his dresser. Her face pinked, and she folded her arms instantly across her chest, clearing her throat. "Oh, uh, my bad," she blurted.

"Right," Justin said dryly, reaching for his undershirt. "Because knocking is so 'last year.'"

Alex rolled her eyes at him, and tried really hard--and failed--not to watch as he slipped the tank over his chest. It wasn't anything new, nothing she hadn't seen in the pool, or in the house, but her eyes were suddenly, and strangely attached to him.

_Had he always been that fit--ugh, it doesn't matter,_ she hissed at herself.

"Is there a _reason_ you 'ninja-ed' yourself into my room?" Justin finally asked, "You know, besides to scare me."

Her lips tilted instinctually. "Well, hearing you shriek like a girl is always a plus….but, no." She sighed then, slipping the door slowly behind her. "I was just coming to check up on you."

His brows rose slightly. "Since when do _you_ come to check up on _me_?"

"Since the earth spun off it's axis?" she asked, with a wry shrug.

"Heh. Well, considering that's not too far from reality, yeah, I guess it's pretty fair."

He exhaled, and fell back, plopping gently on his mattress behind him. Alex hesitated for a moment, before slowly sitting beside him, while he lay back on the mattress.

"So…" she said quietly.

"So…" he said back.

"…I'm really not good at this whole taking care of other people thing."

She snorted sheepishly, and turned back to him on his bed, chewing at her bottom lip. She was surprised to find Justin smiling slightly, gently. "This is the part where you ask me how I'm doing."

"Okay."

"And, then I say 'fine.'"

"Okay."

"But, you know I'm lying, so you just stay here with me anyway."

When he'd finished, his voice was almost a hush and she could see the hints of vulnerability shifting beneath his gaze. She didn't answer him, didn't say anything. Yet, instead fell softly back unto the mattress so she was laying beside him.

He sighed and she shifted her head against his shoulder, to comfort him, and maybe--if she admitted it-- for some comfort of her own.

***


	3. Chapter 3

**Wow, thanks *SO* much for all your feedback. It was more than I was expecting, which is like the best thing since chocolate for a fanfic writer. You guys rock, you rock hard (bad Camp Rock reference, let's move on...) Anyway, I've had a lot fun writing Jalex and you guys are a very gracious fandom ;)  
**

**Here's the next part. Hope you enjoy...**

********

**Part 3  
**

***

"Do you see it?"

"Kind of," Alex mumbled, "Yeah."

She studied him across the round picnic table, her chin cradled in her palms, as Justin mirrored her and stared back.

"It's weird," she finally said.

"I know."

She furrowed her brows in concentration. It was hard to try to do this, to try to look at a face she'd virtually memorized as if it was something new. To know that he was studying her, too, with his instinctive, relentless focus, and trying to do the same.

So, naturally, she took the easiest route: "Your nose is _much_ larger than mine….annnd everyone else's."

"Hilarious," Justin deadpanned. He rolled his eyes. "Now, besides my nose--which you've literally made fun of since you could crawl--do you notice anything else?"

"Your eyes," she murmured. She fought back a blush at the unexpected candidness of it, and blurted, "They're, ya know, different; green, or whatever."

"I can't fold my tongue," he said out of nowhere. (Which hopefully met he was oblivious to her slipup). "Can you?"

She answered by lifting her tongue out, folded and crinkled.

'"What about your earlobes?"

Alex squinted at him as he reached over, brushing the curls back over her shoulder, and leading towards her. "Uhm…?"

"They're unattached," he mumbled, "So we have that gene in common."

She leaned in and whispered, "Did we already mention your nose?"

He made a big show out of scowling at her and she giggled before moving back.

"I don't know why I spend time with you," he grumbled.

She shrugged. "Because you're a geek, and I'm the extremely popular, yet generous cool girl."

He scrunched his nose. "Sounds like a bad teen movie."

"Meh, you'd have to wear overalls and glasses, and ask me to the prom or something," she said flippantly, popping a gummy into her mouth.

Justin reached into the bag between them, grabbing his own, and they nurtured a comfortable silence together.

They'd been spending a lot of the last two weeks like this. Stealing away somewhere, alternating between pointless chatter, lazy silence, and sprinkles of more serious conversation. On one level it was nothing new. They'd always had a habit of finding each other in a room, even if it was masked as teasing each other, or the biggest inconvenience ever, etc. But, what was new was their openness about it. Alex didn't feel the need to flick him in the ear to justify sitting beside him on the couch anymore (although, yeah she still did it sometimes for kicks), or the need to fake-blackmail him into taking her to the mall, or the store. There were no pretenses. If they wanted to hangout--which recently was pretty frequently--they hung out. That was that.

"Look at that girl," Alex mumbled, jerking her chin to her right. "Could her shoes be any tackier?"

Justin scrunched his eyebrows, and then glanced questioningly back at her. "You do realize I'm not Harper, right? I don't pay attention to those sort of things."

"Right. How could I forget? If it doesn't have multiplication signs or variables, you're oblivious."

He blinked. "Uh, sorry, did you say something?"

He smirked at her, apparently proud of his cheesy joke, and she rolled her eyes. She sighed and reached over him, brushing this annoying lint off his shoulder. "There's a flesh eating Zombie movie coming out on WizWeb. We should watch it."

He shrugged. "When are you free?"

"I was thinking Friday night. And, then…" She straightened suddenly, her eyes lighting with mischief, "We should so sneak out for a carpet ride."

Justin furrowed his brows. "Why? We're allowed to ride the carpet alone now."

"Yeah, but it's more _fun_ if we're sneaking out."

He shook his head at her, lips quirking with bemusement. "I will never understand you, Alex."

She smirked at him, pleased, before her cell phone rang and bad pop music ran into the air. She flipped it open. "It's the fam," she said on a sigh. "I swear, Mom's never going to let us out of her sight for more than an hour again."

Justin blew out a breath. "Yeah, it was nice at first. And, now it's just.." He trailed off, like he was reluctant to say anything disparaging.

So Alex finished for him. "Clingy? Suffocating? Obnoxious?"

"Your words, not mine."

"And, as usual, my words are _far_ superior to yours."

He pulled a face at her, and she stuck her tongue back out at him, folding it again. (She knew it drove him up the wall when she could do something he couldn't).

'Ugh," she whined after a moment, "Do we have to go? Can't we just hide out here and start, like, our own teen village or something?"

Justin snorted, his brows lifting. "So you're just using me to get away from mom?"

"I would lie and say, 'No, no, of course not Justin,'; but you know me too well."

He rolled his eyes, and she flashed him a playful grin before grasping his forearm and pulling him up along with her.

***

"So, children," Theresa said, her arms reaching out in a formal gesture, "How was everyone's day?"

_Ugh, _Alex groaned to herself, _Where's a teen village when you need one_?

She ducked her head, hiding between another forkful of lasagna, while Justin answered with his usual enthusiasm. "S'great mom. I aced my Calc quiz. As usual," he added with a smug grin.

"And, he made a fool out of himself in the cafeteria. 'As usual'," Alex said, smirking at him.

Justin glowered at her, which, again, she ignored.

"Alex," her mother chided half-heartedly. (They'd been down this road too many times to count).

"Sorry," Alex mumbled, rolling her eyes. Then she made a grand gesture of turning to Justin, "That's _quite_ an accomplishment, Sir Dorks A lot."

"And, what did you accomplish today?" Justin asked, "I mean, besides _not_ passing any of your tests."

She tossed him a breezy shrug. "Well, I did make a new friend. You remember what that is, right? A _friend?_"

His eyes narrowed, and seconds later their feet were caught up in a scuffling match under the table, until Jerry said, "Oh, yeah, that reminds. Someone named Duncan called for you earlier, Alex…?"

"Duncan Grady?" Max cried, straightening in his chair, "The captain of the wrestling team? He has biceps the size of my head. And, I have a_ huge _head for my body."

Alex nodded, snorting, and Justin rolled his eyes. "Is that the new 'friend' you made?"

He sent her a rather agitated look, and Alex scowled at him. "You don't have to say 'friend' like that." She started using air quotes, "But, 'yes', he's my 'friend' that I 'made'."

She twisted her nose at him--her way of telling him he was being bratty--and he sent her back his own distasteful look.

"Have I met this kid?" Jerry asked, abandoning the food he'd been devouring, "Around the shop?"

Alex shrugged, trying to play it down. "No, like I said, we just really started talking today. It's nothing serious, daddy. He's just some guy from science class."

"Some guy who dates everything with two legs and a pulse," Justin grumbled.

"Which would make him literally the opposite of you: a guy who dates nothing with only two legs, or a pulse."

She lifted her hands towards Max for a high five, (who as usual was waiting for her punch line), and laughed along with him. She folded her tongue out at Justin, baiting him for his usual indignant response, but she didn't get any. His head was lowered over his plate in a moody silence.

_What's his damage?_

"I'm not sure I want you dating someone Justin doesn't approve of," Jerry said warily.

Alex rolled her eyes. "Pfft. Please, daddy. If I waited around for a guy both you and Justin approved of…? I'd be married at about eighty."

"Works for me," Jerry and Justin said together.

She huffed and sent her mother an imploring look.

"I'm sure he's fine," Theresa said to Jerry soothingly. "And, Alex is old enough and smart enough now to judge for herself."

"We are talking about _this_ Alex, right?" Justin asked, gesturing to her.

Alex glared at him and Jerry interjected. "Just bring him over to the shop before your date."

"Actually, there is no date. And there probably won't be one," she said firmly, her eyes for some reason finding Justin's in a pointed look, "I mean, he's fun and I'm flattered a senior's interested in me and all, but he's bit…" She scrunched her nose. "What's the word…?"

"Stupid?" Justin offered, "Moronic? Idiotic?"

"I was going to say, 'simple-minded,' but thanks," she answered tightly.

"No problem; that's what I'm here for."

He smiled at her, but there was no humor as they glared at each other, not like before. Not to mention that weird prick of tension that was usually absent from their bickering. She frowned and then glanced quickly away from him.

***

"Silent treatment?" Justin asked, appearing in her doorway. "That's a new one. I didn't even know you _could _be silent."

She answered him with more silence, since it was obviously bothering him, no matter what he was rambling about.

As childish as it was, Alex knew how to get attention. And, not meeting up with him in the lair after dinner (which had become their unofficial habit), had been a sure way to let him know that she was upset, without actually having to come out and say it.

When she flipped the page of her magazine, still ignoring him, Justin rolled his eyes. "Come on, this is stupid."

"You know what's even more stupid? You."

Okay, so maybe he was right, and she literally couldn't do the silence thing.

"Excuse me?"

"Dad's _never _going to let me date Duncan now."

Justin tensed. "I thought you said you weren't interested in him?"

"That's not the point," she huffed, finally flipping the book closed. "The point is, I'd really appreciate you not prying into my social life."

He squinted. "Since _when_ do we not pry into each other's social lives?"

_Okay,_ she thought wryly, _So that was a good point_.

"And, excuse me for trying to look out for my little sister. Who's not so…" His eyes flickered over her awkwardly for a moment. "…'little' anymore, and should maybe watch the signal she's sending."

She huffed. "I do not send 'signals'."

"Just stay away from him. I don't like him for you. For real, Alex."

"'_For real, Alex_,'" she mimicked, earning a scowl from him.

"Alex," he said again, firmly, "I'm serious."

She rolled her eyes. "Aren't you always?" Off his persistent, warning gaze, she muttered, "Fine. I'll flee from him like the plague, happy?"

"Yes," he said plainly, folding his arms.

Alex exhaled, rubbing her forehead in exasperation.

But, Justin, apparently in much better spirits now, moved on to other matters. "Now, do want a rematch in Wii Golf, or what?"

She bolted up, her eyes lit with challenge. "Oh, it's on like Donkey Kong."

***

"Do you see it?"

"Mmmhmm," Alex mumbled.

She pressed her palm flat against his, watching the gap between the tips of his fingers and hers. "You have freakishly large and floppy hands," she said. "Just like your _nose_."

He snorted, the corner of his eyes crinkling in soft amusement. "No, yours are just disproportionately small."

He bent his fingertips over hers, showing off the difference and she scrunched her nose at him. "Only you would say 'disproportionately small' instead of tiny. Dork."

"And only you would think 'disproportionate' was a big word. Dumby."

He pressed the weight of his hand forward, bending her wrist back gingerly, and then slid his fingers into hers.

He had gentle hands.

She slipped away the thought, along with her hand, before chattering on about something else.

***

"I think it's sweet what you're doing," Jerry said.

Alex squinted. "Um, as much as I'd _love_ to take credit for whatever you're talking about….I don't know what you're talking about."

Jerry sent her a soft smile. "Hanging out with Justin like this, keeping an eye on him. I mean, I haven't seen you two this close since you were little." He smiled, his voice lowering gently, "And, you'd follow him around, and grab unto his ankles when he'd try to leave, like he was your-"

"Blankie, yeah, yeah; it's all very touching, really."

Jerry chuckled, rubbing her back. "You just can't stand admitting you're being nice to him, can you?"

She scrunched up her face, as if confused. "What is this 'nice' word you speak of?"

"Heh. That's my girl."

He scrubbed the top of her head, displacing the curls. Which was annoying. But, mostly, sweet.

***

At school they pretended like nothing was changing.

They ignored each other in the hallways, and cafeterias, except for the customary snark between classes.

Justin still acted too 'cool' to hang around her in front of his friends.

She insulted him loudly, frequently, and publicly.

At home they holed up in the lair and Justin would count the number of freckles on her nose, because apparently, somehow, it had something to do with genetics.

****

"I need your help," Justin said, grasping her elbow and pulling her out of a Hat-Dance with Harper in the hallway.

"Um, I'm sort of busy humiliating someone here."

"I need to deceive our parents," he said over her.

She instantly perked. "Well, please," she answered, gesturing to an empty corner, "Step into my office."

Justin rolled his eyes, but didn't protest as he followed her.

"What do you need?" she asked, slipping a pad from her bag, "Fake id? Fake passport? Fake fingerprints?"

He squinted. "What…? Ugh, never mind, no. It's nothing like that." He swatted the pad away and she frowned. "I've been researching-"

"Eh, okay, I'm bored."

"About orphans in the wizarding community."

"And, now I'm interested again," she said quietly, her eyes widening.

"Apparently, what happened to me might not be all that uncommon. Apparently, sometimes wizards perform spells to…" He swallowed, his eyes shifting uncomfortably, "To send away kids they can't support."

Her mind instantly flashed to the conversation with her mother weeks ago, where Theresa had suggested just as much. She felt her chest tighten, but tried to force surprise unto her features. "Oh?" she said lamely.

"Yeah," Justin mumbled. "I want to find out more about it, but I know it would upset mom and dad."

"You don't _know_ that."

"Alex," he said incredulously, "Mom cried last week when I left to take out the trash."

She nodded. "Point taken."

"So, I might need your help if they start asking questions, or if I need to sneak out of town."

"Out of town?" she asked, tensing, "What? Why?"

"There's better resources in places I don't have access to here."

Alex stared at him, an uneasy feeling settling in her gut. "And, what exactly are you trying to find?"

He shrugged casually, although she could see in his eyes that he was anything but. (He never was). "Whatever I can."

She worried her bottom lip, her face scrunching, and Justin seemed to read the hesitancy on her face. "Can I count on you, or not?" he asked sharply.

"Always," she answered instantly, "I just think you should be careful."

"Heh. Never thought I'd see the day when Alex was telling _me_ to be careful."

"Well, here it is, today. And, here I am, Alex, telling you to be careful."

"I'll be fine," he said more gently, "Don't worry about me."

"I'm not 'worrying about you'," she lied, "I'm just warning you not to be reckless. That's my thing and I make it look easier than it is."

"I'll be fine," he said again anyway.

Which was annoying. But, mostly sweet.

***

Justin came home with a stack of dusty books, walked right past her on the couch, and then shut his bedroom door behind him.

She'd sort of been waiting there for him with a D.V.D.

Not that she cared.

***

She sneaked up behind him at his desk and flicked him hard on his ear.

"_Ha!_ Gotcha, loser."

Now, insert snarky response followed by inevitable tickle fight.

_Or silence_, she thought blankly.

"What?" she asked, rolling her eyes, "Is it your turn for the silent treatment? How 'moody chick' of you."

Justin frowned, glancing up briefly from whatever dusty book he was reading, before instantly looking back. "I'm busy," he mumbled.

"You're always busy," she said flippantly, "Come help me make fun of tourists anyway."

She tugged at the back of his shirt, pulling him. But, when there was zero give, she frowned, stepping back.

"_Justin. _Hurry up. There's like fifteen of them in the shop _right now_."

"Then shouldn't you be helping out?" he muttered, eyes still stuck to the pages.

"This _is _my way of helping out," she answered defensively, "Daddy understands that."

He shook his head again, rubbing the back of his neck. "I-I can't."

"Why not?" she asked, annoyed at how whiny that had come out.

"Because, _I'm_ _busy_."

His voice was clipped, harsher this time and Alex instantly stepped back, her face scrunching.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "Am I…" She flinched even thinking it, "…crowding you?"

His back straightened in the chair at that, and he looked up at her, really looked at her, for the first time since she'd come into his room. "No, that's not it." His gentle tone made her believe him. "I'm just stressing over this, I guess."

"Then why don't you take a break? I swear, there's a guy down there wearing cutoff shorts and a vest."

"As appealing as that sounds," Justin said dryly, "I'll pass. I really want to make some progress on this."

"Okay," she mumbled, trying to hide the disappointment from her voice. "Well…can I help?"

His brows spiked and she rolled her eyes. "What?" she asked defensively, "I can be helpful."

"We'll see about that," he said with a smirk and handed her her own dusty book.

She twisted her nose at it, but didn't complain as she slipped it from his grasp, and grabbed a spot on his bed.

_I can do this, _she told herself, _I can research._

***

She couldn't do it.

She couldn't research.

So, she was only mildly surprised to wake up minutes later with her cheek shoved up against the book. She was substantially more surprised to realize that 'a few minutes later' was actually hours later and that she was buried under Justin's quilt. She moaned, and glanced over at his alarm clock.

_3 am? Wow._

Her hand reached over instinctively for Justin, but found nothing but sheet and pillow. She squinted, and then turned over on the bed, following the trail of light to his desk lamp where he was still pouring over books.

"Justin?" She rasped, sitting up, "What are you still doing awake?"

His head jerked up, surprised as he turned to her voice. "I just…" he sighed, "Can't figure this out."

She quirked a brow. "It's 3 o'clock in the morning, Einstein, you can figure it out tomorrow."

"You don't understand. I can't wait until 'tomorrow'. I need to figure this out now."

He huffed, and she watched his tired shoulders slump, and the heel of his palm dig into his forehead at the desk. Instantly, she slid off his bed, frowning as she brought the quilt with her.

_How was he not freezing?_

"Are you okay?" she whispered behind him.

"I'm fine, Alex. Just get back to bed, alright?"

He wouldn't look at her, but she could see the storminess in his eyes, the hard flex of his jaw. He sighed when she was still standing there and shielded the right side of his face from her with his palm.

"I thought you were getting over this," she said softly.

"Getting over it?" His eyes flashed with that new anger she still wasn't used to seeing. "Tell me, Alex. How do you 'get over' something like this? 'cause I'm dying to know."

She sighed. She didn't want to have this conversation with him. Not again. Not while he was so worked up like this.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. " Forget it. Let's just get to bed, and you'll feel better about things when you get some sleep."

"I'm not tired," he muttered.

"You're so tired you can't even process it," she said softly, "Justin, please."

"I _have_ to figure this out, Alex."

She huffed, exasperated. "If there was anyway to find out Mom and Dad would have, so could we just--"

"Wait, what? They knew about this?" His eyes darted to hers, and he stood, tensing. "You knew about this?"

_Shit._

This was why she shouldn't talk while sleep deprived.

"Justin, I can explain-"

"You _knew_ and you didn't tell me…?" She didn't answer him, because, honestly, what the hell was she supposed to say to that? "Unbelievable."

"Mom, made me promise I wouldn't say anything about it," she said desperately.

"And, since when has promising our parents anything ever stopped you?"

"Since I thought it might hurt you to know."

"Oh, I'm sorry," he said sarcastically, "I didn't know I was some child you had to look after and tuck in at night."

She flinched. "You know it's not like that."

"Just leave," he whispered.

"No," she answered instantly, almost petulantly.

There was a staring contest, both of them glaring stubbornly at each other, before Justin finally grunted and turned from her, going back to his desk.

Despite the steam still rolling off of him, despite the stiff shoulders that screamed, 'I don't want to be around you right now' , when she looked at him hunched desperately at his desk, all she felt was a sudden wave of tenderness for him.

She sighed, walked slowly over to him, and then gingerly draped the quilt over his shoulders, covering him.

He didn't respond, but he didn't shrug it off either. So she slipped her arms around his neck from behind, laying her head in the hollow of his neck. "I'm sorry," she whispered, "I was just trying to protect you."

Another stubborn grunt.

She squeezed his shoulders slightly and murmured again, "I'm sorry."

He let out a reluctant breath.

Shifted in the chair.

Then finally: "S'okay."

"Forgive me?"

He was silent again, yet he was responding to her touch, so she slid her hand under the collar of his shirt, rubbing his chest there soothingly.

"A little," he finally said, "But, you have to tell me these things from now on."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"S'okay."

It was a strangely intimate moment then. Leaning over him, hearing his breathing even out with hers, feeling his chest rise and fall under her fingers. She felt this sudden need to be…even closer. But, there was literally no category, nor file, nor space in her brain for what that would look like for them. So, instead she settled for what he'd done to bring her comfort, and pressed her lips softly to the back of his head.

He slipped his hand up to her forearm, and squeezed gently. "Thanks," he murmured.

"S'no problem."

They were silent for a moment, breathing together, and then she asked him, "Are you gonna get to bed?"

"Yeah." He sighed. "I'll be there in a minute."

She squinted. Did that mean he didn't want her to leave or…?

He stood suddenly, making her straighten beside him. And, when they were facing each other, he slid the cover off his shoulders and reached over to slip it back over hers, tugging at it gently in front of her.

Wordlessly, she walked back to his bed.

***

This time he laid on his stomach, and she on her side, rubbing his back soothingly until he could finally find sleep.

***


	4. Chapter 4

**SO, SO, SO sorry for the delay, guys! Life has been uber crazy with school starting up again, etc. Thanks for all my faithful reviewers, and all your constructive comments. It's honestly, again, more than I expected and I really appreciate it. **

**Also, a side note. Someone commented on the spelling of Theresa's name. Thanks for the comment, and it was something I wandered about, too (I also figured it might be spelled without the 'h'). But, according to all the official websites / cast listings, it's spelled with the 'h', so that why I finally settled on that. **

**Anyway, that's all. Hope you enjoy…**

*******

**Part 4**

***

This time he was in a lake. Floating alone. She ran to the edge of the deck, curled herself up, and crashed in-

Alex awoke on the edge of his mattress, gasping. She shot up and felt his hand--which had been pressed to her stomach--drop down to her thigh. She sighed, stared at his snoring form for a moment, and then slowly slipped out of bed.

***

When she returned, she was carrying a tray of burnt food. Burnt bacon, burnt toast, and dry eggs. (She knew it wasn't the best, but what was she, a chef?) Justin was laying on his back, arms stretched out across the mattress, and looking up curiously as the door shut behind her.

"What's that?"

"Food," Alex said, "Kind of."

Her lips tilted sheepishly and his own small smile appeared as she walked towards him. She slid onto the other side of the bed, and set the tray between them as Justin rolled over.

"You didn't have to do this," Justin said quietly. "Thank you."

"Ehh, wait until you try some. Then see if you still want to thank me."

"I will," he said firmly, grabbing the glass of o.j.

Alex nibbled silently on a bacon strip while he drank.

"Thanks for last night, too," Justin mumbled.

"Pfft. What are you, a greeting card? Stop thanking me and eat already."

She shoulder bumped him, trying to act as if this was all very casual--which really, it wasn't--and Justin sent her a sideways glance, the glass paused before his mouth. "What, are you trying to force feed me or something? Is there poison in here?"

He waggled his eyebrows playfully, but her eyes strayed across the room. "Well, I didn't really see you eat anything yesterday, so…"

She felt there was no need to finish that sentence, and apparently neither did Justin, because he just nodded, wordless, before taking his own strip of bacon.

"Thank you," he said again.

"Stop thanking me," she said again.

He didn't thank her again, but he did lean over, so that his arm was slipped loosely around her from behind. She realized that that was definitely different, to say the least. That they usually didn't go so much out of their way to be close to each other. But, it felt nice--good--and if she thought too hard about it than she'd have to move, so why think about it at all?

***

"…and then I broke the entire china set," Harper was saying, face flush red as they walked down the hallway.

"Well…" Alex's eyes widened, nearly speechless, "At least you went out with a clang--get it, instead of bang?"

She snorted, proud of herself, when suddenly she bumped into someone. "_Oooh_, oh my god I'm so--oh, it's just you, loser face," she said, rolling her eyes at Justin.

Justin sighed, a typical look of indignation covering his face. "Heh, for a moment there I thought you might have actually had manners. Like a normal person."

"Pfft. And, what in the _world _would you know about being normal?"

He narrowed his eyes. "Just watch where you're going next time."

"_Me_ watch where I'm going? That was totally your fault. If you weren't so _chronically clumsily_, I'd think you planned it."

" 'Chronically?', huh? What, did you accidentally pick up a dictionary instead of a Seventeen magazine?"

Her mouth opened, a small 'o' of surprise and indignation, until she felt him surreptitiously slip a note into her hand. Her mouth faltered for a moment, before she blurted, "Loser face."

"That wasn't very original," Harper whispered as Justin walked off, "I think you just got 'served'."

Alex rolled her eyes, her lips quirking despite herself, and fingered the paper in her hands.

***

"Invisible ink, Justin?" Alex said as she met him in the janitor's closet. "I mean seriously, you don't need the help of magic to be that lame."

"Who said I used magic?" He puffed his chest out. "It was something Zeke and I came up with in chem."

"Riiight. Because that's so much cooler."

"_Actually_, it is. Because I didn't simply rely on my superior magic skills, but alternately used my superb--"

Alex jerked her head, as if she were coming back from some sort of daze. "Oh, um, I sorry? Are you saying something?"

He sent her a smoldering glare, which she just giggled at, and he rolled his eyes. "Anyway, let's get down to business."

"Ugh, you're so boring you should wear a tie," Alex moaned.

"I'm serious, Alex. I'm talking about…" He lowered his voice, like someone might actually overhear them, "...My past, or whatever."

She instantly sobered, the smirk slipping from her features. "You're still searching," she whispered.

"Of course I am."

She sighed, "Justin, you're never gonna be able to--"

"And, I think I found something," he said over her.

She blinked. "And, here I am, eating my words." She scrunched her brows. "What did you find out?"

"I'll tell you…right after you promise me something."

"Promise you what?" she asked with a frown.

He stepped closer to her, his hands slipping over her shoulders, and leaned in, voice hushed. "That everything said from here on out is private. I don't want our parents knowing anything about what I'm doing."

She straightened. "What? Why?"

"Because, obviously they don't want me knowing anything about what happened to me….they're hiding things from me."

"To protect you," she firmly.

"Either way, this is something between me and you. That's it."

It wasn't a question, or even a request, and Alex was caught a bit off guard by the authoritativeness of it all.

"Um, okay, Captain of my life," she said dryly, puling away from him. " Don't I get a say in this?"

"No," he answered plainly, "Not if you're on my side."

She huffed. "This isn't about 'sides', Justin."

"It's it? Wasn't it when you kept that secret from me?"

"Justin," she hissed at him, "You know it wasn't like that."

He stepped back from her, folding his arms stuboornly across his chest. "Either you're in this with me, or not, Alex."

"I'm in," she answered instantly, "You know that."

"Good."

She could see the relief flicker on his features. And, he only hesitated for a moment longer before reaching into his messenger bag and pulling out a thick, black book. Alex scrunched her nose. "Oh, goody, another book."

Justin ignored her and flipped it open. "It's the Book of Secrets."

She frowned. "How come I've never heard of it?"

"Because it's a secret," he said blankly.

Her eyes darted away, sheepish, before he moved on.

"Apparently there's a medium I can go to. Someone who, for the right cost, is willing to reveal deep, magical secrets."

Alex pursed her lips, her stomach twisting uncomfortably. "What's the cost?"

"I-" He blinked, faltering for a moment, "I don't know."

"I don't like this," she said, her hand suddenly, instinctively, slipping around his forearm.

Justin frowned, closing the book. "It'll be fine. I'm sure it won't be dangerous. And, even if it is a little risky, I don't really have a choice but to try, do I?"

When she didn't answer, but just simply looked down, Justin sighed. "You said you were in this with me."

"And, I _am_," she said fiercely. She didn't know why he felt the need to keep testing her on this, or why she felt a seemingly even stronger need to prove herself, but she didn't fight it. "I am," she said more quietly, "So what do we do?"

***

Justin did what he knew best: dusty books and spells and research and planning.

Alex did what she knew best: harmless (mostly) lies and pouting lips and batting eyelashes, and getting her way.

***

"Are we good?" Justin asked as she met him in the lair.

"Perfect," Alex said. "Mom and Dad are literally exploding over Max's dinosaur farm. They should be tied up for at least an hour, or so."

"Perfect. But, what are you going to tell them while I'm gone?"

Her eyes lit. "Oh, this is my favorite part. You and Zeke are going to a Barnes and Noble to read books about being cooler."

His eyes narrowed. "Alex, that will never work."

"Sadly, it really, really will."

She snorted, and Justin frowned, but didn't say anymore as he walked towards the shelf. "Okay," she said, following, "So what do we do with the book? Like…shake it, or something?"

"Heh." He smirked. "Yeah, that's one way. But, if we want it to, you know, _work_, we're gonna have use a spell from it."

"I was just asking," she grumbled, pulling a face at him.

He ignored it and turned through the pages.

"I'll need you to say the spell. I can't do it on myself."

"Okay," Alex said, taking the heavy book from him, "What do I do?"

"Just read from the top," Justin said, stepping back a few feet, "And concentrate."

"What, sorry, I was daydreaming--kidding, kidding, I was _kidding_," Alex blurted when he didn't laugh back. He sighed, shaking his head, and she rolled her eyes before looking at the page, "Need a sense of humor, much?"

"Just _read_, Alex."

"I am, I am, don't get your cartoon boxers in a bunch. Okay, let's see…_"_ She traced the words with her finger, "_Secrets, secrets are no fun, help us get this one undone." _She frowned and looked up. "I don't think anything's-"

_WOOSH!!!_

The book flew from her grasp, ripped through the air, and smacked the wall, sticking there. She squinted, Justin squinting right back, before both of them crossed the room. "Okay, I know I don't read much," Alex mumbled, "But that's not supposed to happen, right?"

"Right."

Justin reached around the book, pulling hard on the edges, until--finally--it came off. He turned the book over, to the side that had stuck to the wall, and read the new message in bold, red letters: "_Reader, beware. Fool you once, shame, no pay; but the fool who goes through with this, will CERTAINLY_ _pay."_

As soon as he read it, the message faded away, and Alex's eyes darted to his.

"Uh, okay, so I don't like any books, but I _really_ don't like this one."

"It's probably nothing," Justin mumbled, eyes dropping.

"It's probably nothing?" Alex cried, "Um, hello, phantom book's are not 'nothing', Justin."

"I _have_ to go through with this."

"No, you don't. You really, really don't. I mean, can't you read? They're going to make you pay, Justin. And, somehow I don't think it's going to be in nickels."

Justin sighed, his face closing off in that usual, stubborn away, and Alex whined, "Justin, don't."

"I have to. You know that."

"But-but…" she followed him as he took the book back to the center of the room, "I don't want you to leave--I changed my mind."

"Alex," he admonished.

"Don't 'Alex' me like that. I'm not a little girl."

"Then stop acting like one." His tone was clipped, firm, but not mean as he stepped towards her. "Look, I know you're worried about me-"

"I'm not worried," she said indignantly. He sent her an incredulous look and she knew it was silly, but something about admitting it to him made her feel acutely vulnerable. "I just think this is the lametastic-ist idea of all lame ideas."

"And, if it is, I'll be back in a few hours and you can yell me at then…okay?"

"Justin-"

"Alex," he said over her.

They stared at each other, another intense starting contest until finally, this time Alex relented. "Fine," she sighed. "…But you have to be careful."

"Pfft. This is _Justin_ you're talking to here."

He smirked at her, teasing, but with a touch of sincerity there as well, and she sighed. She opened the book, lifted her wand, and this time there was no _WHOOSH_, and no Justin either.

***

"You seem distracted," Harper said, elbows leaning on the diner table.

Alex blinked, eyes jumping from that spot on the wall she'd been studying, and to her best friend. "Um, what? What do you mean, I'm totally here."

"Really?" Harper asked incredulously, "Because a guy just walked in here wearing sandals and socks and you didn't even blink."

"Touche." Alex sighed, leaning back in the booth. "I guess maybe I am a little distracted. Things have just been a little…." She searched for the right word. "Weird around here lately."

"Weirder than usual?" Harper asked, "I mean, last month you guys took me to a unicorn circus."

"Meh, I guess it's all relative."

Alex shrugged, sipping at her cola and pretending she wasn't wondering where Justin was and why he wasn't back yet.

"Wow, Justin and Zeke have been at the cool people book store for hours now," Harper said, apparently wondering the same thing, "I'll bet they'll be _so_ cool when they get back."

"Pfft. They'd need more than a book for that. More like an encyclopedia."

Harper frowned. "But an encyclopedia _is_ a book."

"I know." Alex groaned, waving a dismissive hand, "But, I'm being witty here, just go with it."

"Right…ha ha-haha-ha!"

Harper let out a few more forced chuckles and Alex frowned, shielding her face under her hand.

But, then the frown turned into a grimace as she felt this sudden, sharp stab in her stomach, like nausea and the edge of knife. She bent over and gasped, "_Oh, god. Justin_."

"Are you okay?" Harper asked instantly. "What's wrong?"

"I-I don't know."

The stabbing was gone, but that burning, warning sensation still lit inside of her.

"I-I have to go."

***

Alex grabbed the black book from under her bed, flipped frantically through the pages, and was about a second from breaking down and telling her Dad everything when it happened. There was a boom of crackling heat, like a bolt of lightening trapped in a jar, and then Justin appeared.

His clothes were torn, in parts almost shredded. His cheeks were bruised, his nose bloodied, and he was coughing up what looked like a cloud of smoke. He reached for his torso, near his ribs, and Alex instantly ran to him.

"Oh, my God," she gasped, "Are you okay?"

"I'm--" He coughed some more, "Fine. I think."

"What happened to you?" she asked, pulling him over to her bed so he could sit down.

"Let's just say, I found what I was looking for, and a little bit more."

"Oh, god, I was so worried about you," she breathed, shoving any self-consciousness or dignity away. "I had this horrible feeling you were in danger."

"Yeah, well, good guess," he rasped wryly.

She began unbuttoning his tattered shirt, her fingers working instinctively, and her eyes flashing worriedly between his chest and his face. "God, what happened to you?"

"They made me go through trials," he rasped. He paused panting, and she could see his lip was split. "To see if I was worthy, willing to pay the price."

"God, you're so stupid," she hissed, trying to sound as angry and severe as possible. But she could tell by the catch in her voice and the softened look in his gaze that it had sounded more concerned than anything else.

"I'm fine," he mumbled.

"Yeah, because the 'battered look' is the new black," she deadpanned.

She grimaced and then tugged gently at the ends of his shirt, peeling it slowly from off his chest. Justin grunted slightly and helped her slide it off him. Her fingers traced his chest and his shoulders, searching for bruises and cuts. "You can't go back there," she whispered, her hand brushing tenderly over a purple patch on his abs.

"I won't," he promised. "It's over. Well…that part, anyway."

Her eyes darted to his. "What do you mean, 'that part'?"

He sighed, shifting uncomfortably on the mattress. "Could you heal me first? Before we do this?"

"Oh, oh, right, of course."

She stood instantly, grabbing her wand from her dresser. "_Pain, pain go away, don't come back on another day_."

A spiral of pink and blue flew from her wand, surrounding him, and then moments later his scars and bruises disappeared. He sighed in relief, and instinctively, she let out her own.

"That feels _so_ much better."

"Right, right, you feel awesome, yada yada, now tell me what's going on?" she whined, sitting on the bed beside him.

"The medium said I passed the first test. And, she gave me this…" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a red, shinny key, "So that I could cross over for it."

Alex frowned, watching the metal intently. "Is crossing over going to be less dangerous, or more?"

"I don't know," he said honestly. "But, it's a moot point; because I can't do it without you."

"What?" She squinted. "What do I have to with it?"

Justin's eyes slid away for a moment, almost with discomfort, before moving back. "The medium said that we…we're something called 'bondmates.' That it wasn't a coincidence that I was sent here, but that…" He shook his head, as if struggling for words, "…just that it wasn't an accident."

"'Bondmates'," she said, scrunching her nose, "What does that even mean? It's sounds lame."

"I don't know," Justin answered softly. "She wouldn't explain any further. I think it just means we have a connection, or something." He'd said it flatly, like he was reading off the weather forecast, but she could tell by his face and his posture, that it was more than that. "All I know is that, for whatever reason…I can't pass through without you."

"But, that doesn't make any sense."

"Since when has magic ever made sense?"

She sighed, rubbing her palm against her cheek. "Well, you know how I feel about this, Justin. That hasn't changed in the last twenty four hours. If anything, your little Indiana Jones impression, or whatever, has only solidified it."

"So, what?" he asked, and she could hear the tension growing in his voice, "You're just gonna veto my decision?'

"Why, not? Apparently you were just gonna 'veto' mine."

She folded her arms across her chest, her brow arching as they stared at each other.

"If it's really _our_ decision, and we're 'bunkmates' or whatever, then my vote is just as important as yours."

"Ugh, you are so childish."

"I'm childish? You're the one acting like an idiot, jumping across dimensions like a buffet or something, getting yourself all beat up just to find…, ugh, _what?_"

"My real family," he hissed at her, exasperated.

"We _are_ your real family," she hissed back. "When are you going to get that through your ginormously thick head?"

She huffed, squirmed for a moment in utter frustration, and then finally stood from the bed.

"Where are you going?" he called after her.

"Out," she barked, "Let's see how you like it when I just up and disappear on you."

"Great, another temper tantrum, how mature!"

But she'd slammed the door in his face before he could finish.

***

This time she didn't want him to follow.

She wanted him to feel. To feel things as intensely as he was making her feel lately.

And she wanted to stop feeling things all together.

***

She'd thrown about the twentieth coin into the fountain when she saw him. She huffed, rolling her eyes. "Ugh, how'd you know I was here?"

"I don't know," Justin said, voice unreadable as he walked towards her. "I just…knew all of a sudden."

She threw her hands up. "Right, how could I forget? You're the biggest magic geek on the planet, no way I could escape you."

"It wasn't magic," he said tightly. "And, what gives_ you_ the right to be upset here? I mean, I can't believe you'd just take off like that. This isn't Disney Land; you can't just wander off at night and expect nothing to happen to you. I was looking for you for over an hour."

She huffed again, turning from him, and trying to shove down that gnawing, guilty feeling in her gut.

"What if something had happened to you?"

His voice lowered, still fierce, but with a touch tenderness as well, and she had to turn away from him so she could ignore the new, pleased feeling growing inside her at his concern. "Ugh, would you just stop it already? What are you, an after school special?"

He sighed. "Your point's made, okay? Now, can we just go home and get you somewhere safe?"

"And, then what?" she asked, finally turning back to him, "You can go jump into Dimension number 101 and get your head chopped off?"

"You know it's not the same," he whispered.

"Well, it feels the same to me. Because, I'm the one who has to make up excuses for you, and wait up for you when you go on these missions, like you're freaking Harry Potter or something, and hope to God that you come back in one piece."

"Alex-"

She barreled on. "And, you don't even know what you'll find--if you even find _anything_. It could be bad. It could be sucky." She sighed, frustrated at her inability to articulate what she was feeling. "It be could dangerous and stupid and pointless."

"There's nothing pointless about the truth, Alex."

"I don't get it," she said over him, "Are you not happy? Are we not good enough for you?"

"Don't say that," he hissed.

"Well, what I am supposed to think? _We're_ your family. _We've_ been with you and taken care of you and _loved _you all these years. _We _didn't toss you away with some stupid spell like you were like, like you were nothing, or something."

She didn't realize she was crying (because, honestly, she never let herself cry), until his arms were wrapped around her, pulling her into him. She felt the warmth of his chest, and the comfort of his scent, but pushed back instinctively.

"_No_," she cried.

"Then what do you want me to do?" Justin cried in frustration, "You want us to keep fighting like we're enemies? You want me to leave you out here so you end up on the goddamn evening news?"

Her eyes widened, flashing back to him. Because even rarer than her tears were his curse words. She stared back at him for a long, tense moment.

"I want you to stop this," she finally said, "I want you to be here, and safe, and happy."

"If you want me to be happy, then you'll stop holding me back."

"Fine. Fine!" she cried, throwing her hands up in frustration, "I don't care anymore. If it will stop you from _whatever_ you're turning into over this, _fine_; I'll do it. But, I won't like it. I _don't like it_, Justin."

"I know," he whispered, " I know."

He took her in his arms again and this time she didn't stop him. In fact, she dimly registered that she'd sort of walked into the embrace, her fatigue and frustration at their separation wearing down every other emotion. She slid her arms around his waist, set her cheek against his collar bone, tried to block out everything else besides how good it felt to hold him, to have him near and safe.

His hands covered her shoulders, then her arms, then her back, rubbing gently, yet firmly. Without hesitation, or uncertainty. Just…need.

He kissed her forehead, and she felt the breath rush out of her mouth. "Thank you," he murmured, "You know I don't like to hurt you."

He kissed by her temple this time--which _crap_, was definitely a new feeling. But, instead of pulling back, instinctively her hands gripped behind his back, bunching his sweater in small fists. He sighed, tucked away wavy strands behind her ear, and then kissed her there, twice. She felt her stomach flutter, felt the momentum of this embrace taking them somewhere unfamiliar, somewhere she wasn't sure she was ready to go yet.

"Um, I, uh--no," she mumbled, pulling back slightly.

Her face scrunched, not really sure what she was trying to communicate. But, when her eyes slid back to his, he nodded slightly, his own gaze unsure, before finally letting her go.

***

This time they were making out. Hard. On his bed, with her on top (because she liked being in control). And then-

She woke up panting on his mattress. Instantly she slipped out of his arms, out of his bed, and out of his room. Whatever this was, she wasn't ready.

***


	5. Chapter 5

**You guys are BEYOND awesome. Seriously, you've rocked my fanfic socks off :) Thanks so much for all the thoughtful reviews!  
**

**This is a bit of transitional chapter, but I spent a lot of time ironing out some personal issues between Alex and Justin. Hopefully you guys will enjoy it. Any constructive feedback is appreciated.**

**A/N: Oh, there seemed to be some confusion over the end of last chapter. The making out was a dream. Sorry to disappoint those who thought otherwise :(!**

**IMPORTANT: and I are fighting a battle of technical glitches here and so far I'm losing. For some reason this chapter has been refusing to show up. So if you notice anything weird, like a double posting momentarily, excuse the confusion.  
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**Part 5**

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Alex spent her morning plotting ways to avoid Justin without actually looking like she was avoiding Justin. It wasn't that she didn't want to be around him—it wasn't that. It was what _being around him_ was doing to her lately—intense, confusing emotions and tingles, and _bad, bad _dreams that she'd almost convinced herself she wasn't having. She needed some space from him; even if she didn't necessarily _want _it. (Ugh, being a girl was so complicated).

She'd finally settled on faking a coughing fit—which, yes, she knew was lame. But, it turned out it didn't matter, because Justin was already ignoring _her_.

"You two are quiet," Theresa said halfway through breakfast. She sent each teen a slow, questioning glance. "What? No bickering, teasing, hair pulling-?"

"Hey," Alex cried, "I only pulled his hair once. And, that was when I was like, what, four?"

"…_teen_; fourteen, Alex," Jerry interjected. Alex scrunched her face at him as her father leaned forward, "So what's going on with you two?"

"Nothing," Alex and Justin mumbled, gazes sliding away.

"Are you fighting again?" Theresa asked, as if unconvinced by this reply. "Because, I don't like it. _But,_ I could get use to the quiet arguing."

"Yeah, you two are usually much nosier," Max said. "Unless…" His eyes lit with revelation, "You put silencing charms on each other?"

Alex sighed and stared blankly at him for a moment, before rubbing at her forehead. "Could we be _answering _you right now if we were under silencing charms?"

"…um, no?"

"Good boy," she deadpanned.

"Then what's going on?" Jerry asked. "It-it's not drugs, is it? Because we already had that talk: 'Just say no.'"

"Ugh, no, it's not drugs, daddy."

Alex groaned, because 1) seriously, couldn't Justin at least try to be helpful here? And 2) because, seriously, since when had her family turned into a detective agency? "Can't two normally combative, but, dear, dear siblings sit down for a quiet meal together?"

"No," Theresa, Jerry, and Max answered in unison.

Alex blinked. "Eh, I'm uh…having coughing fits," she said lamely, offering up a few half-hearted coughs.

Theresa still looked unconvinced, but just sighed and looked to Justin. "How about you, sweetie? You okay?'

He shrugged one shoulder. "Yeah, I'm just a little beat… trouble sleeping," he mumbled.

Alex frowned, finally allowing her eyes to settle on him for more than a moment, to really look at him. His head was ducked low, almost so it touched it plate. His shoulders were slumped, his eyes drooping and red, and there was a hint of stubble that he almost never allowed to paint his jaw.

Slowly, almost instinctively, her hand slipped under the table and over his thigh. She felt his warm hand slide over hers, felt her chest tighten—only to feel the opposite emotion when he instantly stripped her hand away from him his leg, shifting his chair a few inches to the side.

***

"Hey," she said, cornering him in the hallway, "Why are you ignoring me?"

(Honestly, the whole thing wasn't fun anymore.)

Justin stiffened, his back nearly hitting his locker. "Uhm, what?"

She huffed and tried again. "What's with the cold shoulder extravaganza?"

His eyebrows pinched, and, yes, she did realize how hypocritical it was to grill him about avoiding her when she'd spent the morning plotting how she'd avoid him. But, still, it was the principle, or whatever.

"I'm not giving you the cold shoulder," he grumbled.

Alex rolled her eyes, because he literally turned his back to her then, opening his locker.

"Right," she said sarcastically, sliding beside him, "And, this whole interaction's just making me feel all warm and fuzzy inside."

"I thought you needed space," he mumbled, head still in his locker.

"What do you do mean, 'space'?"

When he didn't answer right away, she grabbed at his elbow, then his sleeve, trying to turn him to her. Yet, Justin simply slipped from her grasp again and stepped back.

"_Hey_," she said, "If I needed space, I'd say 'yo, I need space,' okay? Don't solve problems I didn't ask to you to solve."

(Again, hypocritical. But she liked control, and she was frustrated, so what of it?)

Justin straightened, folding his arms across his chest. "Then why'd you leave my room last night?"

"Uhm, what?" it was her turn to ask.

"When I woke up last night…" His lips thinned. "…you were already gone."

There was a catch, a touch of something in his voice, but he was still so guarded she couldn't place it.

"Your bed's lumpy," she whispered, and it was lame, oh, so lame.

She could tell by his expression he agreed.

"Right, whatever."

He shut his locker and Alex huffed. "Justin, wait. It's not like that."

"Like what?" he asked sharply, "I didn't say it was 'like' anything."

She sighed, worrying her bottom lip, because it was damn frustrating trying to have a conversation about something without actually discussing or knowing whatever that something was. She ran a hand through her hair.

"It's not you; it was just your bed," she blurted, "And, I just—missed my own bed and my own room, and that's it. Everything's not so complicated and overdramatic, so stop analyzing it to death." When he just stood there, brooding, she sighed and threw her hands up. "Ugh, I'm sorry, okay?"

He rolled his eyes. "Don't say that. Don't say 'you're sorry' like that."

"Then what I am supposed to say; you're being all…Mopey Eyes right now, and it sucks."

"We're fine. It's nothing. So why overanalyze it, right?"

He shrugged, grabbed his messenger back and walked off, leaving an exasperated Alex behind him.

***

That night she turned off her brain, sneaked into his room while he was still brushing his teeth, and slipped into his bed so that she was waiting for him when he came in.

They didn't talk about it. But, when she woke up things seemed back to normal—whatever normal was anymore—so what of it?

***

"Alex, I need your help," Harper called breathlessly, finding her by the water fountain.

"Alright," she said slowly, "But, this isn't about the School Wide Spirit Quilt again, is it? Because, I already told you, I have that thing I gotta do instead."

Alex ran her hand through hair, head dipping away warily, until Harper piped, "Oh, oh, no, I totally understand you helping out the elderly indefinitely until my quilt project's over with. I think it's admirable."

"Heh, well, you know, that's me: trying to be a better person," Alex mumbled.

"This is about my outfit." Harper gestured to her Nike Jumpsuit. "I can't decide whether a black bandanna or a backwards baseball cap would be more appropriate. But, not _too_ appropriate, because I don't want to be mistaken for a gang member. You know, there's all sorts of signs, and codes, and apparel that can-"

"_Russo_," Alex heard someone call behind her.

She sighed, turning quickly from her friend. _Saved by the bell, much?_

"Duncan!" Alex cried, "You don't know _how_ awesome it is to see you right now."

Duncan smirked, straightening slightly as he stopped in front of the girls. "Thanks, Alex. It's good to see you, too. It's _always_ good to see you."

He did this creepy wink thing and Alex grimaced, immediately trying to think of ways to slip away.

"Oh, wow, did anyone else hear the class bell?" Alex blurted.

"Um, no," Duncan and Harper said at once.

"Oh…" Alex frowned. "…just me, then. I should_ really_ take that hearing test again. You know, with those oversized headphones and—"

"_Alex_."

"Oh, thank god," she mumbled.

"Alex," Justin said again, now directly behind her. "We need to talk."

She scrunched her nose, all dramatic like. "Oh, no, really? Because I was totally enjoying my talk with these guys—welp, okay, let's jet—bye, gotta go!" She cried, grabbing Justin's hand and dragging him down the hallway.

"Phew," Alex gasped as they neared the janitor's closet (their unofficial meeting place at school), "I owe you like a gazillion cookies for that; you don't even know."

"Yeah, I really don't."

He squinted as he opened the door, and Alex slipped in before him as if he'd intended to hold it open for them—which they both knew wasn't the case. Justin rolled his eyes, but didn't comment as he closed the door behind him.

Instead he mumbled, "You guys seemed awfully 'chummy'."

Alex sent him an odd look as she set her bag down. "Um, well, yeah, me and Harper are sort of best friends. So it does help that we try to get along."

Justin sighed, exasperated, yet still wasn't looking directly at her. "Not Harper. Duncan."

"Oh," Alex said with a frown, "Him."

"Yeah, him," Justin said, finally staring back at her.

"It's nothing," she blurted. "Harper was being silly and he was just stopping by to say 'hey.'"

"I didn't say it was 'anything', I was just…observing."

"Well, then you were mis-observing."

"Fine."

"Fine."

He shrugged casually, but his frame was tense—and so was Alex's—as he unzipped his bag. If her and Justin's relationship was anything it was open and frank—sometimes probably too frank. But, now there seemed to be this constant, hovering cloud of 'unspoken' following them around everywhere.

Not to mention that stubborn part of her that resented being questioned about Duncan at all, that liked freedom and independence and could do (and frequently did do) whatever the hell she felt like. Even more frustrating was this other, growing part of her that felt some sense of obligation to him, like he actually deserved explanations for seemingly private, personal things.

"Let me guess," Alex grumbled as Justin pulled out another book, "The Book of Boring Things?"

"No, that would be your sketchbook."

She pulled a face at him.

"The medium gave me this," Justin said as Alex moved besides him.

Alex glanced over the pages with a mild level of interest, until something in particular caught her eye. "Wait a sec; a lot of the pages are blank." She snorted. "I wish they'd do that with our text books."

"Yeah, all the good stuff is missing." Justin sighed. "The medium said the words will appear when the 'time is fulfilled'."

He'd rolled his eyes as he'd said it. He'd always hated dramatic things like that.

"So we don't know when you'll be able to criss-cross?"

"Crossover," Justin corrected patiently, "And, no. It's all on their end. But, now that we have this," He lifted up the book, "Maybe we can pull out a few hints."

Alex's eyes slid away. "Well, as thrilling as that sounds, I sort of have this elderly people service thing I'm doing, so—"

"_I'll_ do the research."

"Oh." Alex visibly perked. "Wanna grab some fro-yo then?"

***

"Ugh, are you done yet?" Alex whined.

She extended her leg, poking Justin's thigh with her toes as he read on the lair couch. Justin sighed and sent her a sideways glance. "Alex, I'm working here. And, what did we say about 'grownup time'?"

"That I have to be quiet and respectful, like an adult," she recited in a small, listless voice.

"Exactly."

She huffed. "Well, I'm not an adult; I'm sixteen. And, neither are you—although you like to act like you're sixty, or whatever."

She crossed her legs so that her feet were propped in his lap, forcing him to shift his book and lose his page. Justin rolled his eyes. "Are you like, allergic to productivity, or something?"

"Mildly, yes."

He sent her a stern look, but she caught his lips quirking slightly despite himself.

"If watching me read—while refusing to help—is so tedious for you, why don't you catch up with Harper?"

"Meh, she's starting up that whole Quilt club thing and I'm fake-volunteering with the elderly, so our schedules clash."

"Riight. I don't know how you manage with all these exhausting fake activities of yours."

She sighed dramatically. "It's the wearisome cross I bear."

Justin smirked, but then returned to his reading. So, Alex shrugged and slid across the couch until she was nested up beside him, her elbow resting lazily atop his shoulder, some of her hair trailing down his chest.

"What are you doing?" Justin mumbled.

"Fake reading with you."

(And, yeah, there was that part of her that preferred leaning against him to there being any significant amount of space between them—which, no, she didn't care to analyze. She hated analyzing things).

"Oh, okay."

His eyes flickered between her and the book for a few moments, shifting slightly as if distracted. But, he didn't push her away or tell her to move, so she stayed put.

Meanwhile, it was hard to fake-read without accidentally reading _some_ things, and eventually one caught her eye. "Who are they?" she asked, pointing to a faded sketch of two people standing under a tree.

Justin hesitated for a moment. "They're bondmates. Like us."

"Hmm, what were their names?"

Her arm was cramped, and without thinking about it (too much), she slid her arm along the couch behind him.

"Danny and Rachel Davies," he answered quietly, "They lived in 18th century England. This is a sketch taken of them a few months before they died. In their 70s."

"Wow. Wasn't that like mucho old for people back then?"

"Yeah."

"And, they were, like, still with each other after all those years?"

"Yeah," Justin said again more softly.

"Wow, that sounds so..." She scrunched her nose. "…bondy."

"Heh, well, that'd sort of be the point."

She felt a nip of something anxious in her chest, but then shrugged it off. "Meh, well, I guess I'll probably still be stuck with you and Max when I'm that old, too. The joys of siblinghood, huh?"

She smirked at him, but his lips were a steady, even line. His brows pinched. "Uh, they weren't exactly siblings, Alex. They were…'together' together."

She stiffened and only moments later realized that her arm had slipped away from him. "Uhm, come again?"

He cleared his throat, shifting somewhat uncomfortably on the couch. "They were um, romantically involved. I-I think maybe…maybe a lot of bondmates are."

Alex's mouth literally dropped opened, a heavy silence taking the room.

"Uhm, come again?" she repeated blankly.

"Alex-"

But, she cut him off, her brain finally catching up. "So let get me this straight, this bunkmates thing-"

"Bondmates."

"_Whatever._ The point is it makes people get all…" She waved her hands about. "…shacky?"

"I don't think it _makes_ people do anything," Justin said stiffly, "I just think maybe's there a strong a connection between the two."

"A strong connection?" Alex said, paling, "There's a possibility that we could get all 'shacky'—"

"Stop staying that."

"…And it just slipped your mind to share this with me?!"

"Alex," Justin admonished, shushing her, "Calm down."

"No, you need to calm up! And, yes, I know that didn't technically make any sense, but you know what I meant."

Justin sighed, running a shaky hand through his hair, his eyes straying from her. "Look, just—just forget it. Forget I said anything; it's just a theory, it could be wrong."

"Well, it's a gross theory. A yuck-tackular theory. A disgusting theory-"

"I get your point," Justin grumbled.

She stood abruptly, yanking the book from his lap. "…A bad, bad, _bad_ theory, Justin!" she huffed, tossing it across the room.

"I. Get. Your Point," Justin said tightly, standing with her. "And, it's not like I was particularly perky about it—which again, was only a theory--or-or that I'd want to follow through on it or anything."

"And, what?" She crossed her arms, "I'm just totally unmackable now? Because you're not exactly Teen Charming, yourself."

Justin blinked, eyes widening, and suddenly she realized how ridiculous and defensive her statement had been.

"Ugh, just forget it," she muttered.

"It's already forgotten," he said stiffly.

"Fine."

"Fine."

They kept standing there then, stuck in this intense, confusing, frustrating stare until Alex finally huffed and kicked at the book on the ground—for good measure.

"It's stupid," she hissed, marching off.

"I got your point!"

***

Okay, so now they were officially fighting.

Which was pretty much 'par for the course' if you didn't count the heated glares, and heated cheeks, and how charged everything felt when they were in the same room all of a sudden.

***

Ignoring Justin and making it look like she was ignoring Justin was hard to do when Harper was being so dull (she couldn't wait until this dumb quilt thing was over with). So, how could she _not_ keeping glancing over at Justin's locker?

And, no, the perky cheerleader who had inexplicably spent the last five minutes hanging all over him had nothing to do with it. Nothing at all.

Her eyes slid over to them for what had to have been the tenth time, and she felt that stupid burn of her cheeks again, a hot agitation in her chest. She had the sudden urge to march over there and—

She didn't know what. There was no rational reason to be bothered by this. Not that anything had been at all 'rational' about them these last few weeks.

She realized she'd been staring over there for entirely too long—thank goodness Harper was too wrapped up in her ecstatic monologue—when Justin's head suddenly jerked up, his eyes sprinting confusedly in her direction.

Instantly, she turned to Harper, her back facing him. "Oh, wow, that sounds super!" she cried.

Harper's eyes popped. "Really? You think? 'cause I thought a life size Justin mural might cross a line…?"

"…"

"_Russo_," came a voice from behind her.

She sighed, feeling immeasurably relieved again.

"Duncan," she cried, "You have uncanny timing." She scrunched her nose. "Although I don't understand why they call it 'uncanny', though. There doesn't seem to be anything particularly non-cannish about it."

"Um, right," Duncan said with a blank squint.

"Duncan," Harper asked firmly, "If a girl made a life-sized painting of you, would that creep you out, or flatter you?"

"Well, that would depend on the girl. And how hot she looked with a paintbrush," he drawled, eyes lifting suggestively towards Alex.

Alex felt a shudder take her shoulders.

Then, strangely, there was this pinch of longing in her chest, a brooding and a bite of anger—a wave of emotion not quite her own. Her eyes darted instinctively across the hall to Justin, saw all those emotions covering his features.

_What the hell is going on?_

"Yo, Alex, you still there?" Duncan asked.

His hand was on her shoulder, which she wasn't too fond of, but she felt a bit foggy, unbalanced for a moment.

_Stop it_, she heard not-quite-herself say.

_No, you stop it,_ she growled back to not-quite-herself.

Her eyes flashed to Justin who was openly glaring now.

"Alex?" she heard Duncan call again.

She tore her gaze away from Justin, smiling up eagerly at Duncan. "Oh, yeah, sorry I was just zoning, I guess. You know how the post lunch lull can be?"

"Right, definitely. Especially on sloppy joe days."

He grinned, and Alex twisted her nose, watching the small round, sauce stain on his collar. Duncan seemed to mistake the disdainful look for a doting stare, because he smirked and pulled her closer against him.

There was another tug in her chest, then a feeling of raw possessiveness that kept distracting her and pulling her gaze back to Justin, nearly against her will.

The stubborn part of her flared back and, almost without thinking, she reached up and pressed an impulsive kiss to Duncan's cheek.

She grimaced and pulled back, because it just felt _ugh_—oh, no, wait, she was _being_ pulled back. She squeaked at the feel of Justin's rough hand on her shoulder, gawking as he stepped between her and Duncan.

"Woah, mood killer, much?" Duncan griped.

"It's a family thing," Justin blurted, "You understand. We need to take care of it. Now."

He'd looked sharply at Alex on the word 'now' and she glowered at him as he yanked her away and down the hall.

"What the hell, Justin?" she cried as they turned the corner.

"What do you think you're doing?" he hissed back at her.

Another turn and she was ushered into the janitor's closet, the door slamming shut behind them.

"Um, I dunno, being a normal teenager girl," she said, arms crossed defensively across her chest, "And what do you think you're doing, Dr. Abducto?"

"I'm looking out for my little s—for you," he faltered, his face reddening. "How many times do I have to warn you about what a creep he is? I mean, how could you just…" He huffed, gesticulating in frustration, "_Do_ that in front of me?"

"Well, if I really have to explain the biology of it to you, Justin, then maybe you and Dad need to have The Talk again."

She'd crossed the line, she knew that. And, it was written all over his face.

His jaw flexed. "I told you to stop it," he near-growled.

"Yeah, and about that; shouldn't your little mind-melding stunt be the real topic of conversation here, and not my dating habits? You can't just-just invade my mind like that."

"I couldn't do that unless you let me in," Justin said back hotly, "And, it's not like I can control it; it just happened."

She huffed.

"And, you started it, anyway."

Her eyebrows pinched. "What are you even talking about?"

"When I was in the hallway earlier, talking to Monica, you were…" He waved his hand about vaguely, "In my head, or whatever, all grouchy like."

"Ugh. I was so not."

"I think I'd know," Justin said dryly, "Considering it's my head and all. I just didn't put it all together until now."

"Well, un-put it together," Alex growled, "Because that's not even what was going on and I don't want you involved in my personal life. You can't tell me what to do, aloud or in my brain, or anywhere else for that matter.

"Pfft. Well, that's apparent."

"Good," she hissed.

She turned on her heel, poised to leave, when his hand wrapped around her bicep, turning her back to him. "Except with this," Justin said, "I don't want you with him."

"Ugh." She yanked away. "Didn't we just go over me doing whatever I want?"

"Alex," he said lowly.

"_Justin,"_ she mimicked back.

He wasn't laughing, not at all. And when he grasped her arm again, with authority, she smacked it away, with authority. He reached for her again, this time with both hands firmly around her biceps and again she smacked them away.

"Stop doing that," he grumbled.

"No, you '_stop doing that._' "

She knew that was childish, but, honestly, so was this whole thing between them. Their smacking squabble continued until she was nearly pressed up against the wall. She huffed and her hands crashed into his chest, meant to be a shove or a push, but ending up sort of stuck there as his arms locked around her. She pushed back a little, but not with much effort, and soon they were in this strange, almost wrestle like hold, struggling with each other, and yet forcing each other close at the same time.

"Stop it," she hissed again.

"You stop it first."

She felt this familiar jab of adrenaline, this feeling that reminded her of when her and Dean's fights used to get heated: how her cheeks would flush, and her skin would warm, and her body would tingle and prick with frustration, and more than a little attraction—all things she was instinctively starting to feel now…

His eyes flickered with intensity and she felt this own flicker inside of her before she finally pushed him back.

"Ugh, I just…_hate you_." (So not true)

Justin was still for a moment, almost statue like, before he blinked and looked back at up her. "Why'd you kiss him? Do you want to be with him?"

"No," she hissed instantly, "You know that."

And somehow, oddly, she felt like he really must have.

"Then why did you do it?'

"Because-because…all this bunkmates stuff is really freaking me out and I just wanted it to stop or something. I don't know." She huffed, and then it was almost like someone else was speaking when she said, "I'm sorry; I shouldn't have."

He made a small, grunt like sound, his body half turned from her. And like an idiot, and totally consistent with this rollercoaster of emotional of idiocy she was on, she walked towards him.

"Please forgive me, Justin," she whispered.

Her thumb was smoothing soft, gentle circles in his palm. She realized it was the first time they'd touch intimately in a while, and she could see his eyes warming instinctively, felt herself warming instinctively.

"S'okay," he mumbled, his fingers threading tenderly into hers and tugging her him towards him.

But, then his eyes flickered suddenly, and he jerked away. "No, stop that. You can't just—just do that and expect me to let everything go."

_Well, it worked before,_ she thought dryly.

"Well, what do you want to me to do, Justin? Rub my tummy and pat my head until you feel better? I said I was sorry, and honestly, I shouldn't have even had to say it, but I did—for you."

She raised her chin, braced herself for another argument. But, it never came. Instead, he just stood there, watching her for a long moment, before giving a tired shrug.

"You're right," he said lowly.

She blinked. "I'm…right?"

"It's not my place to care about that."

Her stomach dropped, and she wasn't quite sure why.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, his gaze dropping down, "I understand if you don't' want to do this with me."

She didn't need him to explain what "this" was. But, maybe she had needed him to put it out there plainly. To explain that doing "this" meant they would be having these conversations, and 'caring about that' and sorts of all other weird, bizarro things.

She was wordless for a moment, her fingers twisting together. "Do…do you want to do this?"

Her stomach knotted up just asking it.

His eyes flickered back towards her and his cheeks flushed slightly as they fell back away. "Yes."

More, heavier silence covered them, before finally he added on. "In time, of course, obviously. I mean, I know this is weird—beyond weird. You don't—we don't have to do anything," he stuttered. "We can ignore it."

She knew she should have responded then, and not left him hanging mercilessly on the edge. But, she was honestly dumbstruck. It was like her mouth couldn't move even if she'd had the words to fill it with.

"We don't have to do anything," he said again, voice shaky. "I-I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything."

"Stop. Stop stuttering," she said breathlessly, "It's making you seem even dorkier usual."

He sighed, and when she still hadn't said anything, took a slow step towards her, swallowing. She could see his chest rising and falling.

"Do want to do this with me, Alex?"

_Yes_, she thought almost instinctively.

But, something about putting that into words, confessing aloud whatever this crazy, throbbing, _thing _was between them shut her up.

He stepped back. "Oh, okay. I understand; let's just forget it."

His head jerked away and he made a movement for the door when she blurted. "If I say it, we don't have do anything yet, right?"

"_Right,"_ Justin said instantly, firmly.

She swallowed, feeling a strange thrill at the pleasure on his face, something she couldn't quite name. "O-okay, then…everything you said, or whatever."

"So you want do this with me, too?"

"Ah, pfft, ya duh," Alex said, her eyes creeping to the ground and her hand rubbing her neck with fake coolness, "Do I have to spell it out for you?"

He fumbled, "No, right, okay."

A few long strides and the space was gone between him, his warm hands cupping her shoulders ,then rubbing up and down her arms, as if he was trying to calm her down, and maybe himself. "Good," he whispered.

It did feel good. _Really good_, and intimate and—she pulled back, unbalanced.

"Is that too much now?"

"I-I dunno. This is just really confusing and I don't know."

He stepped back from her and her hand reached instinctively between them, bunching his shirt, keeping him within arm's reach. "I…I don't know," she mumbled.

Justin stood awkwardly for a moment, his hands rising and falling repeatedly around her until finally she stepped into him, squeezing tightly at his torso, and feeling his own warm arms wrap around her.

"Okay, well, that's good enough," she chirped abruptly, pulling away.

Justin's eyes widened, stunned as she stepped back.

"Um, um, I should get to class, or something," Alex said, her eyes darting about the room, "Maybe later we can, um…"

She trailed off, at a rare loss for words.

"Debrief?" Justin guessed, eyes still wide.

"Heh." She let out a shaky laugh. "Only you'd use the word 'debrief' for something like this. Dork."

One last nervous laugh and the closet door shut behind her.

***


End file.
